UAE plans to bankroll first ‘planned community’ in south Gaza

[Twiglets1]

Guardian Exclusive: Blueprints describe a ‘case study’ community where residents submit biometric data to gain entry:

The United Arab Emirates plans to fund “Gaza’s first planned community” on the ruined outskirts of Rafah. Palestinian residents there will have access to basic services like education, healthcare and running water, as long as they submit to biometric data collection and security vetting, according to planning documents and people familiar with the latest round of talks at the US-led Civil Military Coordination Center in Israel.

The planned city would mark the UAE’s first investment in a postwar reconstruction project located in the part of Gaza currently held by Israel. The wealthy Gulf state has contributed more than $1.8bn of humanitarian assistance to Gaza since 7 October 2023, according to UAE state media, making it Gaza’s largest humanitarian donor.

Blueprints for the Emirati-backed endeavor are laid out in an unclassified slide deck obtained by the Guardian and first reported by Dropsite, but the UAE’s role as its planned financier has not previously been reported. The presentation was prepared for a cohort of European donors who visited the CMCC on 14 January, according to an aid official who shared details about the briefing on the condition of anonymity. Israeli military planners have given the plans their stamp of approval.

The United Arab Emirates did not comment on its decision to endorse the Board of Peace, or its plans to fund one of the first US- and Israeli-backed reconstruction projects in Gaza.

One US official said that the first Emirati-backed compound could “become a model” for a string of residential camps that US and Israeli officials have described as “alternative safe communities”.

Within the first Rafah community, billed as a “case study”, planners envision several efforts to prevent the influence of Hamas, including the introduction of electronic shekel wallets “to mitigate the diversion of goods and funds to the Hamas financial channels”, and a school curriculum that will “not be Hamas-based”, but supplied by the UAE. Planners also specify that residents will be permitted to “enter and exit the neighborhood freely, subject to security checks to prevent the introduction of weapons and hostile elements”.

A White House spokesperson said that the Emirati-backed compound would be built during the board’s initial reconstruction push.

Land-clearing efforts for the Rafah site are already under way, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told the Guardian.

“Israel’s mission on the east side of the yellow line is to clear the infrastructure in that territory, including tunnels, booby-trapped houses – all of the infrastructure left on our side,” the IDF spokesperson said.

They also said that Israel would not participate in building or running the Emirati compound. “When construction begins, that’s when the ISF participates with boots on the ground.”

A project timeline obtained by the Guardian indicates that site planning began with a “land deed” review in late October and will entail at least four to six months of preparations before construction begins.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/23/uae-funds-gaza-community

Have you tried googling him and see how many sites he comes up on.

No, just one that doesn't affect any of the material reality here. Outrage clearly isn't creating reconstruction options. I don't object to people calling this situation whatever they want, my concern is how it's going to be improved for Gazans. I think assuming that slagging off Israel amounts to any useful action is a real risk here, actually. The goodwill that exists towards Palestinians might be channellable into something that could actually help them.

On the Ran Gvili point, I'll answer here as it's getting unwieldy having two separate conversations going on.

Having googled him and followed the story somewhat is exactly why I know the world isn't up in arms. That and the plan that is the subject of this thread. You've provided a link to one demo in Israel, and presumably we all know that Israelis are more interested in Israeli bodies than the rest of the world are? As I said, an odd hill to die on.

Their country was split in half. One half controlled by the soviets, the other half controlled by the US. Their country wasn’t reunited for over 40 years. If you go to Berlin you can still see the remnants of the wall ffs.

Of course, you know all this. But you want to downplay it because it suits your narrative that the Gazan people have had the very worst treatment in the whole history of humanity.

I’m not going to argue about the fact that the world and even Israel may have accepted that Rani’s body cannot be recovered. I’m talking about the fact that if a few Israeli bodies were to be purposefully bulldozed into the sea, there would be an international outcry, let alone thousands.

So do you accept that Gaza has been stolen from the Palestinian people and do you think that is acceptable.

Yup and it’s been going on for almost a century. Germany rebuilt itself very quickly to become the strongest economy in the Europe. Why. Because they were allowed to.

If you go to Berlin you can still see the remnants of the wall ffs.

Just a quick diversion from the thread topic, but not only is the quote above true, there are also still significant economic differences between the former East and West Germany, more than three decades after reunification.

You need to read a history book or two.

That's not only a goalpost move, because you've gone from one body to multiple, but it also isn't something you can prove as a fact. It's merely an assertion you're making. And what is factual is that one Israeli body is missing in Gaza still and the world is not up in arms.

The situation in Gaza is horrific, and if me saying I didn't accept it would have the slightest bearing on anything then I'd say I didn't accept it. Unfortunately the test of whether something exists or not isn't deciding whether it's acceptable. I have no interest in turning this discussion into outrage swapping, not least because I have so much of it to go around. Way beyond just Hamas and Israel.

My concern is about reconstruction, because unlike you I don't think Gazans being stuck in tents is the preferable option. And that's what this thread is about.

I’m not arguing about German history. The two conflicts are incomparable other than Gaza looking like Dresden.

It’s not reconstruction though is it. It’s development and not for the sake of the Palestinians. Once these luxury resorts are built on their land, the closest they will get to one is a job cleaning the toilets.

His body is only still big news because of the fact that Hamas agreed to return it before moving onto phase 2 of the ceasefire. It has a special significance because of that - yet the ceasefire moves on (which I consider a good thing).

A peace plan for the living is more important than what happens to dead bodies, in my opinion. Though I appreciate it could feel different to the friends & relatives of the dead.

And that's a valid enough point, there are obvious risks and flaws with this plan. I mentioned upthread I don't trust the UAE government, and clearly nobody is going into this out of the goodness of their hearts. This would not be my first choice if better options were available. It's just that thus far, it's either that or tent festering.

I’m not sure where you sit with your opinions on the conflict but in this case I have to say you are right. The Palestinians are a people abandoned by just about every country in the world. They have no state, no self determination, no nothing. They have no choice other than to continue resisting which will lead to nothing but more suffering, try to leave and make a life as refugees in other countries or accept their fate and eek out a living in what is effectively an even worse concentration camp which people are laughably calling workforce housing units. There is nothing I, or anyone else, can do for them but I really hope the younger generation remember, the bds movement grows and these luxury developments become nothing more than white elephants and economic disasters for the investors. I doubt it though. I no longer have any faith in humanity and am desperately ashamed of our leaders.

Getting rid of terrorists is "reeducation"?

You seriously think that the reason Palestinians have an issue with Israel is because of what they are taught in school??? Wow!

Many countries don't care about the Sudanese or Iranians or other people living in conflict situations etc so why should the Palestinians be different. I can not understand why the Palestinians should be treated differently, yet some people think they should be given allsorts of considerations, which, bearing in mind the cheering on and celebrating after 7th Oct and the spitting on raped and brutalised Shani Louk (for example) or cheering the dead Bibas babies, doesn't set them apart at all.

I wish countries cared for all suffering people, the Iranians, the Sudanese, The Urghurs, as well as the Palestinians, but they don't.

Disgusting. Utterly disgusting.

What a strange post. Totally vilify and then wish they were supported. Really don’t know what to make of that.

Some set the Palestinians as more deserving than other people in conflict. It's not difficult to understand that. I propose all people in conflict situations deserve support and help equally. None are more deserving than others to true humanitarians.

As it has been said to me before, this is a thread about Palestinians, not Iranians or Sudanese. Me personally, I would prefer it if the actual suffering of the Palestinians was not denigrated by deflecting.

I'd like to hear of what the Palestinians make of this proposal.

Great post

I think most people, right and left, atheist and religious,, etc etc have certain causes they focus on more. It's human nature. Humans did not evolve to take on the suffering of the whole world.

It is definitely true that certain causes receive much less media attention, people can be more attracted to some than others. This should be discussed. Paul Bloom in Against Empathy noted that empathy is generally more about people we can identify with, proposing compassion as a better alternative. This is one factor, but there are others.

This is a good video on why Sudan in particular got less attention

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DUJg33WScloA&ved=2ahUKEwj5547hzaeSAxUia0EAHXDLLGwQFnoECBwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0GJtPFbh-CMQTKz3dtW07Q

Do we know that luxury developments are going to happen?

Trump Gaza video was grotesque but surely not a literal vision of the future?

The UAE are certainly not particularly ethical in their own land,,that must be said.

A lot of people DO care about the Uighurs, Iranians etc. I haven't seen Tories demonstrating on behalf of any of those groups- does that mean Tories don't care?

I am a Zionist and I think a lot of the focus on Israel IS driven by anti Semitism. But I also think that the protests are larger due to media focus & potential influence the UK can have. Israel does listen to the West. China, Iran, Sudan (both sides), do not.

What do you think of the UAE's role in backing the genocidal Sudanese RSF? I think the UAE should not be on the Gaza board, for that and other reasons.