While international bodies focus on allegations of genocide and war crimes in Gaza, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has turned his attention to the territory’s post-war real estate potential, describing it as a possible “bonanza.” His comments have drawn sharp criticism as they coincide with a devastating humanitarian crisis and a UN report finding Israel responsible for genocide.
In a statement that has caused significant controversy, Smotrich claimed to be in discussions with the United States about dividing up the land in the Gaza Strip. These remarks were made as the Palestinian death toll surpassed 65,000 and the Israeli military intensified its operations, encircling Gaza City and trapping hundreds of thousands of people.
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The finance minister’s comments on Gaza’s future development stand in stark contrast to the findings of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI). The commission’s report, released Tuesday, not only concluded that Israel is committing genocide but also identified specific statements from senior Israeli officials as evidence of “incitement to commit genocide.”
The report explicitly named Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for their rhetoric. Navi Pillay, the commission’s chair, drew parallels between the language used by these leaders and the dehumanisation that preceded the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The commission has urged the international community to take decisive action, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a halt to all arms transfers to Israel. Pillay expressed hope that Israeli leaders could face prosecution, a sentiment that aligns with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) existing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on suspicion of war crimes. Israel has dismissed the UN report as “distorted and false.”
The discussion of Gaza’s land as a development opportunity while its population faces what the UN terms a genocide has highlighted the profound disconnect between the Israeli government’s post-war planning and the international community’s calls for accountability and humanitarian relief.
Image: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, on July 10, 2023. Maya Alleruzzo/AP
