Gaza is once again in the midst of an all out war with its much better armed opponent.....
There are injustices on all sides and of course you can go back as far as the Iron Age in trying to figure out who owns the land and why. The people of Gaza have to stop playing the role of the victim and embrace their location. |
| Small strip of land called Gaza |
At the very South East end of the Mediterranean Sea they are in a prime location to become the Arab duty free port in the area. As many know this small strip of land does not have port facilities. This can be addressed by using a model like the Dubai marina development... a central core of water front homes, business, condos, and minor industrial and the sand and dirt can be used to create a break water and container facility.
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| Dubai marina roughly the size of the Gaza strip |
Since its starting from scratch the design can be anything in the world. the money for the infrastructure can be funded from many of the Palestinians best friends in the region..... many of the gulf states have more than enough funds.
Dubai Marina... Gaza Marina?
Gaza Beach front?
Dubai Port facilities.... Gaza Port?
Palestinian History Museum?
Palestinian University for Peace and Security?
Islamic Art Museum?
All this could easily be done with investment in infrastructure and investing in the concept of peace and security. Palestinians could be a beacon of light and hope.
or things could stay exactly as they are...
I cannot agree with you more. I looked up Gaza Port to see what was there. Nothing. I have thought for years that Gaza has the best real estate in the Middle East. It was the best at the time of the Romans and still is. It could be the Singapore of the Eastern Mediterranean. All MIddle Eastern trade could flow through Gaza Port, which the Chinese could build in a year. Tourists could disembark there to travel overland, warehouses could be built, railways from many countries could meet there. Imagine if a Grand Bazaar was built to rival Istanbul's? Imagine a Center of Comparative Religious Studies bringing people from all religions to work, meditate and travel on to Jerusalem. Imagine a Centre for Scholars to translate the vast untranslated storehouses of Aramaic, hieroglyphic and and cuneiform fragments. It could be amazing. Two things I would add to your list, a redesign of the city to provide a proper center, a great square and main thoroughfare, with all the 'front of house' amenities that any great city has. And I would carve out 25 acres to the north to create a Park, a Mediterranean botanical gardens, landscaped with olive orchards, and picnic spots and Cedar trees. (Maybe Israel will donate them in return for peace.)
ReplyDeleteThe Palestinians have nothing to lose. Peace will only come when they have something to defend. Gaza could be a thriving commercial entrepot, with layer upon layer of trade, culture and commerce. It could be fabulous.