The phrase “making Gaza Singapore” was used by Shimon Peres to express a vision for transforming the Gaza Strip into a prosperous, thriving area, similar to how Singapore developed from a small, poor country into a wealthy, hi-tech hub.
Peres often spoke about the potential for Gaza to become a successful, peaceful place if it could embrace peace and economic cooperation with Israel. His vision was based on the idea that Gaza, with the right investments and international aid, could flourish through trade, tourism, and technology, much like Singapore had done, thus leading to a better life for its residents and reducing the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
This idea was part of Peres’s broader approach to achieving peace and economic development in the region. However, critics often pointed out the challenges of such a vision, given the ongoing political, security, and humanitarian issues in Gaza.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas (the hostage crisis) opens a door and creates an opportunity for a dramatic change on Israel’s southern border. Thinking outside the box could bring to fruition Shimon Peres’s vision of turning Gaza into the Singapore of the Middle East.
While this may seem somewhat absurd in today’s reality, given the leadership on both sides, one should never say “never.” In the absence of a vision, which at times seems like a delusion, it is impossible to change reality. There is always a chance for change; the question is whether there is the will and the power to implement it.
Once a small, poor place
Even Singapore was once a small, poor place that became an economic paradise. Gaza has great potential in agriculture and especially in tourism. A long, pristine beach could be a major attraction for surfers.
I can see Shimon Peres’s vision coming to fruition: hotels filled with tourists along the beaches of Gaza, an open border with Israel for the passage of agricultural products (strawberries, tomatoes, etc.). This may sound absurd to today’s ears, but the same reaction would have come from an English person in 1945 if they were presented with the reality that England would one day have such close, peaceful relations with Germany.
The writer served as a strategic adviser to Shimon Peres from 1990 to 2016. He recently published a book in Hebrew, Whispering in His Ear, which includes never-before-told stories about his years as a senior aide to Peres.