There's a video report at the BBC, which explains:
Almost four years after the conflict with Israel, Gaza is enjoying a period of relative calm. That in part has led to a surge in the value of land, with prices more than doubling in the past two years.
Which is what we would expect. When peace breaks out, or a ceasefire seems to be fairly durable, confidence returns, business activity returns and population grows, so the rental value of land goes up.
And who benefits?
A lucky few who happened to be registered as landowners beforehand:
At one of the hotels he owns on Gaza's seafront, I meet Abdel Aziz Khaldi, one of the strip's richest men. To look at, he's not a flash character, more of a middle manager than a multi-millionaire.
But there are a few signs of wealth...
Of course there aren't, because his gain is everybody else's loss.
He says Gaza's fast-rising population and tiny size make land a good investment. He adds that prices are highest in Gaza City, which people believe would be safer in the event of another war with Israel.
Are you all set?
4 hours ago
9 comments:
Good grief - they are talking about $20,000 per square metre.
AKH, yup, which is roughly the same as the Candy Brothers paid for the Chelsea barracks site (£1 billion divided by 12.8 acres).
Excellent new title bar!
I looked into the occupied territory's last year after speaking with a Palestinian campaigner at a squat.
It turned out that Israeli's that had improved the land for years were being forced to give up some of that to new occupiers, limited space. So Israel is now fighting Israel again. You can read all about it prophetically and esotercicaly in the Bible. Most Christians cannot see it though.
Israel is pure Conquest and Rent Seeking. No one is more a perpetrator or victim. It has very little to do with religion. The only religion practised fanatically there is:
"the getting of the work of others, without the giving of your own, in return"
Which is what we would expect. When peace breaks out, or a ceasefire seems to be fairly durable, confidence returns, business activity returns and population grows, so the rental value of land goes up.
Oh dear - Hamas will have to fix that.
RS, ta.
JH, no, high rental values are a sign that things are going well, and are in themselves A Good Thing (unless caused by deliberate supply shortage). The point is that everybody plays his part in generating them, and if some people skim off the rental value (or some have to pay for it and others don't) then that is ultimately state-sanctioned theft.
Doubt it's the economy improving, it's a UN welfare state.
Probably just embezzling more aid money.
SB, possibly, but so what? The money that these rent collectors get always comes from "somebody else" whether that is the local populace or taxpayers world-wide (funnelled via the UN).
" He adds that prices are highest in Gaza City, which people believe would be safer in the event of another war with Israel."
Proof that, whatever western pseudo-liberals claim to believe, the locals are certain that Israel goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties.
Compare and contrast NATO "liberation" of Kosovo by deliberately concentrating on bombing Belgrade and other northern cities.
NC: "the locals are certain that Israel goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties"
That's a very good point. So Gaza land values are dictated in part by other governments.
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