Episode 47: Building a new Gaza, with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib

The day after Trump's release of his 20-point plan for an end to the Gaza war, Haviv sat down with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Palestinian-American analyst and director of the Atlantic Council's Realign for Palestine project, to discuss what it means.

Can Hamas really be disarmed and removed from power in Gaza, as the plan envisions? Can an international force in Gaza succeed where the likes of UNIFIL and countless other international interventions in the region have failed miserably? Who in Palestinian society can push back against Hamas or build out political and military power to rival and ultimately suppress Hamas? Can Gazan society be deradicalized?

Two tweets are mentioned in the conversation.

1. On his transitional force idea: https://x.com/afalkhatib/status/19717...

2. On Hamas's withdrawal from Gaza City and regrouping in Nuseirat: https://x.com/afalkhatib/status/19721...

Today’s episode is sponsored by Unpacking Israeli History, a podcast from Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand, which I’ve had the pleasure of joining several times as a guest. Hosted by my friend Noam Weissman, the show dives into Israel’s most fascinating and sometimes controversial moments. It’s smart, nuanced, and never afraid of complexity, taking the headlines we think we know and uncovering the deeper story of how we got here.

If you want more of the kind of thoughtful conversation we have here at AHA, go follow Unpacking Israeli History at https://unpacked.bio/havivUIH.

And if you like what we do here at AHA, please join us on Patreon to support our work:   / askhavivanything⁠  .

If you would like to sponsor an episode, please email us at [email protected]⁠.

Musical intro by Adam Ben Amitai.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conversation
02:43 Analysis of Trump's Peace Plan for Gaza
05:59 Personal Stories and Background of Ahmed Fuad Al-Hatib
11:58 The Human Cost of Conflict and the Need for Healing
17:51 Exploring the Role of International Forces in Gaza
23:59 Strategies for Stabilization and Rebuilding Gaza
35:48 Understanding Hamas and the IDF's Role
40:53 The Palestinian Authority's Challenges and Future
47:23 The Role of the Palestinian Authority in Governance
53:33 The Legitimacy Crisis of the Palestinian Authority
01:00:00 A Vision for Palestinian Self-Governance