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The Arab property tycoon, the Israeli settlements and a clever plan to boost Gaza
The Arab businessman responsible for one of the world's most ambitious urban construction projects is actively seeking to buy and redevelop land and homes to be evacuated by Gaza's 7,500 Jewish settlers later this year.
Mohamed Ali al-Alabbar, chairman of the $7bn (£3.7bn) company Emaar Properties, has begun negotiations with Ariel Sharon's office and the Palestinian Authority over his plan for what his supporters claim could transform much of Gaza, ravaged by more than four years of conflict and economic collapse, after Israel's planned disengagement.
Mr Alabbar, the driving force behind the huge effort to turn Dubai into the tourism, leisure and business hub of the Gulf, is asking Mr Sharon to reverse his earlier decision to raze the settlers' homes after withdrawal and sell them intact to his company for tens of millions of dollars. In return, Mr Alabbar would receive building contracts for the land vacated by the settlers.
His plans are said to include beachside tourism development as well as high-rise housing when the Palestinian territory, one of the most overcrowded and impoverished in the world, expands into the sector occupied by the 21 Jewish settlements, roads and military posts protecting it - about a fifth of the area of the Strip.
Supporters of the plan - including Shimon Peres, the Deputy Prime Minister in the new coalition and the Labour leader - hope that Mr Sharon will ask ministers to reconsider the previous cabinet's decision to bulldoze the settlers' private homes. So far, the Israeli Prime Minister has asked Ilan Cohen, the director general of his office, to examine the security and other implications of the overall renewal plan.
Mr Alabbar, who is also director general of the Dubai government's Department of Economic Development, held talks with Mr Cohen - and briefly met Mr Sharon this week - as well as holding detailed discussions with the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and his Prime Minister, Ahmad Qureia - both of whom are said to be impressed by the plans.
The Israeli cabinet is expected to give the go-ahead to the disengagement plan tomorrow. The talks held in Jerusalem and Ramallah by Mr Alabbar - whose Dubai projects include the world's tallest building and the world's biggest shopping centre - were arranged by Ephraim Sneh, a Labour Knesset member and former Israeli minister. Mr Sneh said yesterday that what motivated the Dubai developer "was to assist his Palestinian brothers".
Mr Sneh said Emaar had earned $700m last year and was not a "charitable organisation" but added Mr Alabbar "definitely does not come to Gaza for the purpose of making money. He is not intending to lose money either but he wants to invest every penny he may gain there in Gaza. He is motivated by idealistic motives and not by the natural desire of businessmen to make more money." Mr Sneh, who believes reversing the decision to destroy the homes would trigger international good will, acknowledged that "so far" Mr Sharon had not changed the previous decision. He added: "I think the involvement of Mr Alabbar and his readiness to acquire the assets Israel will leave, under certain conditions, opens the door to his reconsidering."
Mr Sneh said, however, that Mr Alabbar was keen to press ahead with development plans whether the homes were sold to him or not and that Mr Abbas and Mr Qureia, whom he had joined Mr Alabbar in meeting, had been "delighted" that he "has come to assist the Palestinians". Assuming that he acquired the settlers' homes he would use "professional considerations" to decide what to do with them. "If he thinks they should be levelled he would level them, if he thinks they can be used, they will be used."
Mr Sneh dismissed previously expressed fears that the settlers' houses could find their way into the hands of PA leaders, saying that Mr Abbas was determined the property that Israel has said it is ready to hand over intact to an international party - would belong "to the whole Palestinian people".
Ra'anan Gissin, Mr Sharon's spokesman, said Mr Alabbar was seeking to buy land for "urban renewal" and "reconstruction of other houses" and indicated Israel had been concerned the settlers' properties should not fall into the hands of "terrorist groups".
He added: "We have to check the details to make certain the property doesn't fall into unwanted hands." He said the consent of the PA would be need but that the Israeli government was willing to consider his overall proposals.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=612504
Mr Alabbar, the driving force behind the huge effort to turn Dubai into the tourism, leisure and business hub of the Gulf, is asking Mr Sharon to reverse his earlier decision to raze the settlers' homes after withdrawal and sell them intact to his company for tens of millions of dollars. In return, Mr Alabbar would receive building contracts for the land vacated by the settlers.
His plans are said to include beachside tourism development as well as high-rise housing when the Palestinian territory, one of the most overcrowded and impoverished in the world, expands into the sector occupied by the 21 Jewish settlements, roads and military posts protecting it - about a fifth of the area of the Strip.
Supporters of the plan - including Shimon Peres, the Deputy Prime Minister in the new coalition and the Labour leader - hope that Mr Sharon will ask ministers to reconsider the previous cabinet's decision to bulldoze the settlers' private homes. So far, the Israeli Prime Minister has asked Ilan Cohen, the director general of his office, to examine the security and other implications of the overall renewal plan.
Mr Alabbar, who is also director general of the Dubai government's Department of Economic Development, held talks with Mr Cohen - and briefly met Mr Sharon this week - as well as holding detailed discussions with the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and his Prime Minister, Ahmad Qureia - both of whom are said to be impressed by the plans.
The Israeli cabinet is expected to give the go-ahead to the disengagement plan tomorrow. The talks held in Jerusalem and Ramallah by Mr Alabbar - whose Dubai projects include the world's tallest building and the world's biggest shopping centre - were arranged by Ephraim Sneh, a Labour Knesset member and former Israeli minister. Mr Sneh said yesterday that what motivated the Dubai developer "was to assist his Palestinian brothers".
Mr Sneh said Emaar had earned $700m last year and was not a "charitable organisation" but added Mr Alabbar "definitely does not come to Gaza for the purpose of making money. He is not intending to lose money either but he wants to invest every penny he may gain there in Gaza. He is motivated by idealistic motives and not by the natural desire of businessmen to make more money." Mr Sneh, who believes reversing the decision to destroy the homes would trigger international good will, acknowledged that "so far" Mr Sharon had not changed the previous decision. He added: "I think the involvement of Mr Alabbar and his readiness to acquire the assets Israel will leave, under certain conditions, opens the door to his reconsidering."
Mr Sneh said, however, that Mr Alabbar was keen to press ahead with development plans whether the homes were sold to him or not and that Mr Abbas and Mr Qureia, whom he had joined Mr Alabbar in meeting, had been "delighted" that he "has come to assist the Palestinians". Assuming that he acquired the settlers' homes he would use "professional considerations" to decide what to do with them. "If he thinks they should be levelled he would level them, if he thinks they can be used, they will be used."
Mr Sneh dismissed previously expressed fears that the settlers' houses could find their way into the hands of PA leaders, saying that Mr Abbas was determined the property that Israel has said it is ready to hand over intact to an international party - would belong "to the whole Palestinian people".
Ra'anan Gissin, Mr Sharon's spokesman, said Mr Alabbar was seeking to buy land for "urban renewal" and "reconstruction of other houses" and indicated Israel had been concerned the settlers' properties should not fall into the hands of "terrorist groups".
He added: "We have to check the details to make certain the property doesn't fall into unwanted hands." He said the consent of the PA would be need but that the Israeli government was willing to consider his overall proposals.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=612504
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Emerging from talks with Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres, Mohammad Ali Al-Abbar, chairman of the leading Dubai-based Emmar Properties, said he was interested in initiating development projects in the Gush Katif bloc of settlements in the southern Gaza Strip after Israel leaves, Reuters reported Saturday, February19 .
But he said that “it is premature to talk about buying the settlements,” stressing discussions were “at the starting point.”
A statement issued by Peres's spokesman following the meeting said the two sides had agreed to set up professional teams to prepare a working plan.
“Israel wants to keep the infrastructure intact and also to find a solution for the dwellings in the settlements,” the statement quoted Peres as saying.
Abbar, the driving force behind the huge effort to turn Dubai into the tourism, leisure and business hub of the Gulf, told Reuters that he was looking into developing residential and commercial properties, including hotels, in the Gaza Strip.
Abbar, who is also director general of the Dubai government's Department of Economic Development, briefly met Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon last week as well as held detailed discussions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei - both of whom are said to be impressed by the plans, The Independent reported on Saturday.
Beneficial to All
Peres sounded enthusiastic about the idea, saying it would benefit both the Palestinians and the settlers.
“There is 45 percent unemployment in Gaza. The settlers built about (1,000 acres) of greenhouses. We can demolish them. Why not sell them? The settlers will have revenue and the Palestinians will have work,” Peres told Israel Radio.
Israel has allocated $ 870million in compensation for the settlers, broken down into payments ranging from $200, 000to $500, 000per family, depending on size of assets.
Peres said he had raised the idea of selling settlement homes and businesses with Sharon but said the prospect of leaving property intact for Palestinians was likely to stir more anger among settlers, whose leaders are waging a protest campaign against evacuation.
“I did not hear any objections from (Sharon). We discussed this, and there was no need to take a decision at the time. I see it as positive and I think Sharon also takes a positive view.”
Ra'anan Gissin, Sharon's spokesman, said, however, that the government has to check the details to make certain the property doesn't fall into “unwanted hands.”
The talks held in Tel Aviv and Ramallah by Abbar - whose Dubai projects include the world's tallest building and the world's biggest shopping centre - were arranged by Ephraim Sneh, a Labour Knesset member and former minister.
Sneh told The Independent the Dubai developer was motivated by a desire to “assist his Palestinian brothers.”
He added that Abbar was keen to press ahead with development plans whether the homes were sold to him or not and that Abbas and Qurei had been “delighted” that he “has come to assist the Palestinians.”
Crucial Vote
Sharon's plan to dismantle all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of120 in the West Bank is bracing for a crucial cabinet vote on Sunday, February20 .
He will ask the government to approve the evacuation of settlements, effectively giving the8 , 000Israelis who live there the five months' notice required under law before they can be dislodged.
Political commentators expect Sharon to win the vote easily.
Last June, the cabinet ratified “disengagement” from the Palestinians but hedged the decision by putting off a vote on scrapping settlements.
Since then, Sharon has reshaped his government to include more proponents of a withdrawal which he promoted as a bid that would help Israel cement its claim to the larger West Bank settlement blocs.
Last week, Israeli Housing Minister Isaac Herzog said Gaza settlers would be encouraged to relocate to sparsely populated areas of Israel, but could also go to a new West Bank settlement block if they will.
The new settlement, which violates the internationally-backed roadmap, is planned as an extension to the Gush Etzion bloc.
The peace blueprint requires a halt to settlement-building on Palestinian lands Israel occupied in1967 .
But US President George W. Bush said in 2004 that Israel could expect to keep some of the West Bank land.
http://islam-online.net/English/News/2005-02/19/article03.shtml