Is the Trump plan for a new Gaza a dangerous dream?
Donald Trump never does anything halfway. For most presidents, blowing up the annual Davos summit with threats to invade Greenland would be enough. But Trump went one better: On the sidelines of the prestigious meetup, he presented his much-touted Board of Peace to rebuild Gaza.
Beyond a few slides showing a futuristic-looking paradise on the Mediterranean, complete with gleaming office towers and data centers, much is still unclear. But one sign that something serious is in the works is the choice of the person who will be the face of the new initiative.
About two weeks ago, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey announced the appointment of Dr. Ali Shaath as head of the “National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.” Four days later, in a Cairo hotel, Shaath signed the body’s mandate document, his first official act in the role.
Shaath, a 67-year-old civil engineer who has held various positions over the years within the Palestinian Authority, is meant to lead a committee of 15 Palestinian technocrats tasked with managing daily life in the Strip. Among the tasks waiting for the Administration to tackle: 68 million tons of rubble, 2.2 million residents — nearly all of whom have been displaced at least once — collapsed water and electricity infrastructure, and destroyed hospitals and schools.
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