Gaza could be the new jewel of the Mediterranean.
A strong economy buoyed by rich natural resources, agriculture, fishing and an industrious workforce could transform the territory.
The National looks at what could happen if Israel's blockade of Gaza were lifted and the territory had a stable, moderate government.
The vision is one of a self-sufficient state buoyed by an untapped offshore natural gas field in which a capital investment of $1 billion could be worth anything from $2.4bn to $7bn. It could be a destination for tourists to enjoy its 75 kilometres of prime Mediterranean coastline, dotted with resorts long talked about by Palestinian developers but derailed by Israel's siege.
The construction of a port, planned since the Oslo accords in the 1990s, would provide scope for Gaza to mimic cities such as Dubai, which has developed shipping and re-export into one of the main planks of its economy.
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