Photos of Israeli construction projects in the war-torn Gaza Strip, shared by real estate developer Hari Zehavi, have sparked strong reactions, considered provocative at this stage, as they confirm the desire among some Israelis to rebuild the settlements in the sector.
Liberation newspaper opened a report with this introduction, penned by Jacques Bizet. He conveyed condemnation from some internet users after images surfaced showing Israeli construction projects on the now-destroyed Palestinian territories. The publications come at a time when the Israeli occupation army continues its ground offensive on the Gaza Strip.
A picture dated December 13th showcased schematic drawings of houses lined up on the rubble of Gaza, alongside a message in Hebrew saying, "We, at Golden Mountain, are paving the way for the return to Gush Katif. Several of our employees have begun land reclamation work, debris removal, and expulsion of squatters. We hope that all the abductees will safely return to their homes soon, and that our soldiers will return, allowing us to begin construction throughout the Gush Katif area," a group of settlements evacuated in 2005 during the Gaza disengagement plan.
New Buildings, Bunkers, and Hospitals
This illustration also shows names for future settlements such as Ma'ale Eztmona, Oren, and Neve Katif – referring to previous settlements in the Gaza Strip. Additional names were included in a second post dated December 11th, which displayed a map in Hebrew of these settlements in the Gaza sector.
According to the newspaper, these images are genuine and were posted on the personal Instagram account of Hari Zehavi, who, since October 7th, shared several photos and videos highlighting the military commitment of the company's reservist employees. However, a post from the past Sunday was removed, showing a group of soldiers in the Gaza Strip holding a banner announcing, "Here, the new Ma'ale Eztmona settlement will be built."
Death and destruction have trailed the displaced from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip, claiming martyrs and wounded (Al Jazeera).
The newspaper questioned the significance of these posts when the future of Gaza remains unresolved, particularly as the official contemplation of resettling Israeli settlers is improbable. Although the Israeli-Palestinian information site "Mikomit" revealed a memo from the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence discussing the forced displacement of civilians from Gaza to Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office downplayed its significance, describing it as a hypothetical exercise.
Aspirations to Regain Gaza
For these reasons, the newspaper saw the projects promoted by Hari Zehavi at this stage as merely provocative, although they reflect aspirations among some Israelis to regain Gaza. Indeed, the newspaper's verification department confessed that the initiative is unrelated to a "commercial campaign" and is just a "satirical simulation."
However, the director contacted defended it as an "awareness-raising" effort aimed at "starting a discussion." He affirmed that after the October 7th attack, it became apparent that reasserting control over Gaza and the resettlement of Israelis, coupled with the departure of Palestinian residents to neighboring Arab countries, "is the only solution for lasting peace."
Israeli human rights activist Itai Mack, the former head of Amnesty International's Israeli branch, termed it a "media stunt," adding that this provocation "reflects a deep sentiment in favor of seizing land and settlement at the expense of Palestinians." He mentioned that a conference held this month aimed at "practical preparation for settlement in Gaza" in Gevaot Washington.
According to the "Davar Acher" news site, the meeting organized by 15 organizations and attended by about 150 participants is considered a historic opportunity by the attendants to relocate Israelis to Gaza. Journalist David Teversky, who attended the meeting, reported that "most of them were evacuated from Gush Katif and their families," affirming their intent to rally public support and exert pressure on political leaders. Nonetheless, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and international public opinion officially oppose the repopulation of Gaza's lands.
