October 5, 2025 • 24 mins
Two years after October 7th, the world claims to have learned its lesson — recognizing Palestine, calling for peace, promising justice.
But behind the headlines, Gaza lies in ruins, famine spreads, and a “peace plan” crafted by Trump and Netanyahu threatens to cement permanent occupation under billionaire control.
In this episode I investigate what has — and hasn’t — changed since that day, and ask:
What does recognition mean when nothing changes for the people living under siege?
Check out my substack page where I tackle some of the episode topics in depth and write about other issues our country and the world are facing today. https://substack.com/@ktdpodcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Raheel Khan (00:02):
Two years ago, October 7th, 2023, Hamas
militants killed more than 1200Israelis and took 251 hostages.
It was horrific, nightmarish,and a war crime.
The deadliest single day forJewish people since the
Holocaust.
Three weeks later, UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Gutierrez, said
(00:26):
something before the UN SecurityCouncil that enraged Israeli
officials, but revealed anuncomfortable truth:
I have condemned unequivocallythe horrifying and unprecedented
7 October acts of terror byHamas in Israel.
Nothing can justify thedeliberate killing, injuring and
(00:47):
kidnapping of civilians or thelaunching of rockets against
civilian targets.
All hostages must be treatedhumanely and released
immediately and withoutconditions.
She is important to alsorecognize The attacks by Hamas
did not happen in a vacuum ThePalestinian people have been
subjected to 56 years ofsuffocating occupation They have
(01:12):
seen their land steadilydevoured by settlements and
plagued by violence Theireconomy stifled, their people
displaced, and their homesdemolished Their hopes for a
political solution to theirplight have been vanishing.
Despite the controversy.
Gutierrez was right.
Understanding context isn'tjustifying atrocity.
(01:35):
It's the only way to prevent thenext one.
Two years later, the world isperforming grand gestures.
Countries are formallyrecognizing Palestine.
The UN declared famine andgenocide, for the first time,
Trump unveiled a"historic" peaceplan, massive flotilla of
activists risked arrest to breaka long standing naval blockade.
(02:00):
On the surface progress.
But here's the question thatcuts through the headlines.
What is actually changing forPalestinians on the ground?
Because while the world applaudsitself, tens of thousands of
Palestinians are dead.
Netanyahu continues his Gazacampaign without consequence.
(02:21):
And the largest aid flotilla inhistory, escorted by European
warships, was still intercepted.
Recognition without enforcementis theater.
Condemnation withoutconsequences is performance art.
And if this peace deal goesthrough in its current form, we
may see the world declarevictory, then turn away while
(02:45):
Palestinians remain trapped inthe very conditions that made
October 7th possible.
So, let's start Khannecting TheDots.
First, we have to start withwhat's been happening in Gaza
over the past few weeks.
Back in August, Netanyahuoverruled his own military
leadership, the heads of theIDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet.
(03:08):
They warned him invading GazaCity, would endanger hostages,
kill civilians, and fail todismantle Hamas.
He did it anyway.
Bowing to pressure from his farright coalition.
By late September, entireneighborhoods of Gaza City had
been flattened.
The UN's human rights officewarned"The systematic
destruction of Gaza City isalready underway".
(03:31):
Israeli tanks kept pushingsouth, ordering nearly a million
Palestinians to flee, butthere's no safe place left to
go.
On September 18th alone, 98Palestinians were killed.
Many of them in Gaza Cityfamilies dug through concrete
with their bare hands to searchfor loved ones.
Since the war began, more than67,000 Palestinians have been
(03:55):
killed.
At least 170,000 injured sinceIsrael broke the ceasefire In
March, over 13,000 have beenkilled.
Sometimes it's hard to graspthose kind of numbers.
Think of it this way, in justthe last six months, every day
has brought the equivalent of anairplane carrying 70 to 80
(04:15):
people crashing down, with nosurvivors.
Nearly 1000 people have beenkilled while simply seeking
food.
Most at the Gaza humanitariansites set up by the US and
Israel, countless more have beeninjured in those attacks.
In August, a UN back monitor,declared famine in Gaza City.
(04:36):
Over half a million people nowliving under starvation
conditions.
Over 450 people have died fromstarvation alone.
145 of them children.
This isn't collateral damage,it's calculated destruction.
On September 15th, Netanyahugave a speech that revealed his
(04:57):
long-term vision.
He said, Israel must become a"super Sparta".
Not Athens, the cradle ofWestern democracy and culture,
but Sparta, the militarized citystate, defined by permanent war
and isolation.
He called for"economicself-reliance" code for turning
inward, embracing siege as a wayof life.
(05:18):
The Tel Aviv stock exchangetanked, Netanyahu backtracked
the next day, claiming he wasmisunderstood.
But the mask had slipped.
The very next day, September16th, came a historic judgment,
a UN Commission of inquiry, orCOI, declared that Israel is
committing genocide in Gaza, theCOI based this conclusion on its
(05:39):
own investigations and relied onthe international criminal
tribunals to examine theevidence gathered.
They found Israeli forces hadcommitted four of the five acts
that constitute genocide asdefined in the genocide
convention.
Killing members of the group.
Causing serious bodily andmental harm.
Deliberately inflictingconditions designed to destroy
(06:00):
the group.
And imposing measures to preventbirths.
They concluded these acts werecarried out with genocidal
intent.
That's where we are today.
Neighborhoods reduce the rubble.
Family starving in plain sight.
A leader promising endless warand the UN calling it genocide.
(06:21):
Even as Trump pushes his newpeace deal and Hamas accepted
aspects of the proposal, thekilling didn't stop.
NBC News reported that sinceSaturday morning, 54 bodies were
brought to Gaza Hospitals, 45 ofthem in Gaza City.
Some were killed in airstrikes.
Others were shot as they triedto return to their homes or
(06:41):
while waiting for aid.
That is the reality on theground.
Palestinians still dying by thedozens each day, even as talk of
ceasefires and peace plans fillthe headlines.
Meanwhile, the world is busystaging symbolic performances.
On September 21st, the UnitedKingdom, Canada, Australia, and
(07:02):
Portugal, formerly recognizedPalestine as a state.
Here's UK Prime Minister KeirStarmer:
Meanwhile, the manmadehumanitarian crisis in Gaza
reaches new deaths.
The Israeli government'srelentless and increasing
bombardment of Gaza, theoffensive of recent weeks, the
(07:25):
starvation and devastation areutterly intolerable.
Tens of thousands have beenkilled, including thousands.
As they tried to collect foodand water, this death and
destruction horrifies all of us.
(07:45):
The hope of a two-state solutionis fading, but we cannot let
that light go out.
So today to revive the hope ofpeace and a two-state solution,
I state clearly.
As Prime minister of this greatcountry that the United Kingdom
(08:11):
formally recognizes, the stateof Palestine.
headlines called it historic.
With that, more than threequarters of UN member states now
officially recognize Palestine.
The next day, the first day ofthe UN meeting in New York,
France made a similardeclaration in a joint meeting
with Saudi Arabia.
(08:32):
But here's the reality.
Recognition doesn't createsovereignty.
It doesn't lift the blockade, itdoesn't give Palestinians
control of their borders,airspace, or resources.
Israel still decides who andwhat moves in and out.
Settlements keep expanding.
Homes are demolished daily, andwhile diplomats made speeches,
(08:54):
the invasion of Gaza City ragedon.
Conservatives in Israel eventalked about splitting the West
Bank to ensure that noPalestinian state could ever be
formed.
As one Palestinian student toldNPR.
"We want people to speak up tochange something.
Not to just say it and move on."Five days later, Netanyahu
(09:17):
walked into the UN GeneralAssembly.
Before he even reached thepodium, delegates from 77
countries had walked out.
He stood in the half empty halland declared recognition,
"shameful and disgraceful".
He vowed Israel would finish thejob in Gaza.
He knew he had us backing.
Just days earlier, Trump hadcalled recognition of Palestine,
(09:37):
a"gift to Hamas".
Netanyahu took it even further,making his position crystal
clear.
"There will be no Palestinianstate west of the Jordan River".
In a truly Orwellian move, hisvoice echoed through Gaza
blaring from loudspeakers,hijacked phones, and forced live
streams.
Under the pretext that it was sothe hostages could hear him, but
(09:59):
really it was the Palestiniansbombed, starved, and silenced
who were forced to listen asNetanyahu denied their right to
exist as a nation.
That same week, Trump wasworking the sidelines in New
York, meeting Arab leaderspushing his new peace plan.
The following Monday, September29th, he unveiled the plan at
(10:19):
the White House, standing nextto Netanyahu.
He called it"one of the greatdays in civilization".
On paper, it offered bigconcessions.
All Israeli hostages releasedwithin 72 hours.
Israel freeing nearly 2000Palestinian prisoners.
The war stopping immediately.
Humanitarian aid flooding intoGaza through UN backed agencies.
(10:43):
Sounds like progress.
But here's the catch.
For Trump, the plan is not aboutthe details.
Haaretz, an Israeli, newspaperand others reported he was
pushing hard because the NobelPeace Prize vote is on October
10th and he wants it.
He's been chasing the prizesince his first term, often
pointing to Obama's award asproof of how unfair he's been
(11:04):
treated.
In Trump's mind.
If Obama got it, he deserves itmore.
And the irony, Netanyahu himselfnominated Trump for the award
earlier this year.
That gave Netanyahu leverage.
Over the weekend, he was able toreshape the plan working through
Trump's envoys, Jared Kushnerand Steve Witkoff.
He knew Trump wouldn't sweat thefine print.
(11:25):
Trump wanted the headline, andthe Nobel.
Arab leaders were furious whenthey saw what had changed.
Edits made without their input.
Remember, Trump's team had beennegotiating with them for weeks
only to alter key details at thelast minute.
The new draft gave Israel a vetoover withdrawal and the right to
keep troops in Gaza indefinitelyuntil securities is ensured,
(11:48):
which could mean forever.
Beyond the changes Netanyahusecured, there were other
provisions in the plan thatalarmed diplomats and human
rights groups alike.
First Gaza wouldn't be governedby Palestinians.
It would be overseen by aninternational body, the
so-called"Board of Peace".
At the top.
(12:08):
Donald Trump appointed himselfchair.
Alongside him sits formerBritish Prime Minister Tony
Blair, the man, Haaretz reportsis effectively running gaza's
reconstruction effort.
Blair has been involved from thevery start, leveraging
diplomatic and business tiesthat made him immensely wealthy.
He ceded the ceremonial chairmantitle to Trump, but continues to
act as chief executive.
(12:30):
Coordinating with Trump'sson-in-law, Jared Kushner and US
special envoy to the MiddleEast.
Steve Witkoff, who himself is areal estate mogul.
Blair is an Israeli supporterthrough and through.
During the war he was evenspotted at Israel's defense
headquarters in Tel Aviv.
"We've been friends for 20years" defense Minister Yoav
Gallant told Haaretz.
(12:50):
"when he wants to hear thetruth, he comes to me".
Reporting for the Middle EastEye and Haaretz details the
names of those expected to joinhim.
None of them Palestinian.
Yet, all granted political andlegal authority over Gaza.
Among them is Aryeh Lightstone.
A former Trump Envoy and CEO ofthe Abraham Accords Peace
(13:11):
Institute.
He helped create the GazaHumanitarian Foundation, the aid
network that replaced the UN asGaza's main distributor of food,
and which Doctors WithoutBorders has accused of
"institutionalized starvationand orchestrated killing".
But that's not all.
Lightstone has said,"there's noappropriate timing for a
Palestinian state" and thatremoving Hamas must come before
(13:33):
any talks.
Financial records also link himto Im Tirtzu, a far right
Israeli group, so extreme thateven Netanyahu once condemned it
for labeling artists and humanrights obligate as foreign
agents.
He's not a neutral technocrat,he's an Ideologue.
The man overseeing Gaza's.
Humanitarian relief is someonewhose career has been built on
(13:55):
entrenching Israeli control.
Then there are the billionaires,Mark Rowan, a Wall Street
financier who called Israel'scampaign, a"Just War" and Naguib
Sawiris, an Egyptian magnet andlongtime Blair ally, pushing for
Gaza to become a Dubai stylefree market enclave.
Together they represent thefinancial vision of this
(14:16):
so-called peace; profit beforepeople.
Finally, Sigrid Kaag, the onlywoman and the only UN technocrat
named.
She's described Gaza as a"stainin our collective conscience",
condemned the"weaponization ofaid" and called the devastation
"a moon landscape".
Her words show she understandsthe scale of suffering.
(14:37):
But on this board, her voicewill be in the minority, a token
member included, only to createthe illusion that all sides are
being considered.
Under this structure,Palestinian officials would
exist, but only those deemedneutral by the board.
In essence, though, they have noindependent authority, no real
power.
Most of these figures do notappear to have Gaza's interests
(15:00):
at heart.
This isn't reconstruction.
It's an investment opportunity.
This is what Trump calls peace,a governing council of
billionaires, ideologues, andWestern diplomats deciding when
Palestinians have reformedenough to rule themselves.
The plan is so extreme that eventhe United Nations took notice.
(15:21):
Its legal office issued a reviewidentifying 15 separate
violations of international law: from denying Palestinians the (15:24):
undefined
right to self-determination, tolegitimizing indefinite
occupation, to handinggovernance to foreign powers
with no Democratic mandate.
Those violations weren'taccidental.
They were written into the fineprint.
Buried in the plan was onetelling line.
(15:46):
"The PA Palestinian Authority)Reform Program is faithfully
carried out.
Conditions may finally be inplace for a credible pathway to
Palestinian self-determinationand statehood, which we
recognize as the aspiration ofthe Palestinian people." Sounds
promising, right?
Until you hear what reformactually means.
Netanyahu, spelled it out at theWhite House Press conference.
(16:10):
As for the Palestinianauthority, I appreciate your
firm position that the PA couldhave no role whatsoever in Gaza
without undergoing a radical andgenuine transformation.
In your 2020 Peace plan, whichyou mentioned just now, you made
clear what that transformationrequires.
(16:31):
It's not lip service, it's notchecking a box.
It's a fundamental, genuine, andenduring transformation, and
that means ending pay to slay,changing the poisonous textbooks
that teach hatred to Jews, toPalestinian children.
Stopping incitement in themedia, ending lawfare against
(16:53):
Israel at the ICC, the ICJ,recognizing the Jewish state and
many, many other reforms.
Raheel Khan (17:02):
With those kinds of demands, Palestinian
self-governance will beimpossible.
In effect, Palestinians mustaccept every injustice, renounce
every form of resistance, andabsolve Israel of all guilt and
responsibility for any and allatrocities.
Only then will Israel evenconsider granting them basic
rights.
With the illusion of diplomacycollapsing, arab leaders
(17:25):
frustrated, Hamas stalling.
Trump, never one for waiting.
Decided to force the issue.
On October 3rd, Trump issued anultimatum.
Hamas had until Sunday toaccept, or in his words,"all
hell, like no one has ever seenbefore, will break out".
That's not negotiation.
It's extortion.
(17:45):
Accept colonial administrationor face annihilation.
Later that day, Hamas respondedwith a conditional"yes, but..."
agreeing to release hostages andback a Palestinian technocratic
government, while quietlysidestepping Trump's foreign
control board, and any promiseto disarm.
Trump declared them ready forpeace.
(18:06):
He even told Israel to"stop thebombs", but the bombs didn't
stop as I said above.
In the 24 hours after his tweet,at least 54 more Palestinians
were killed across Gaza.
Proof that the rhetoric of peacemeant nothing on the ground.
And the deal itself remainsfragile.
Hamas hasn't accepted all theterms, and Netanyahu has a long
(18:29):
record of sabotaging peace.
Haaretz warn just days earlierabout the danger of trusting him
to deliver.
While those negotiations playedout in conference rooms and
press briefings, anotherstruggle was unfolding on the
water.
A flotilla, the largest ever,was on its way to Gaza.
Carrying hundreds of activistsdetermined to break an 18 year
(18:49):
long naval blockade.
By late August over 40 boats setsail for Gaza.
Nearly 500 activists from over44 countries.
Known as the Global SumudFlotilla, the aid they carried
was mostly symbolic.
They couldn't carry enough aidto make a real difference.
Their main goal was to open ahumanitarian pathway.
(19:10):
So aid could be delivered toGaza and to draw attention to
the blockade.
The passengers included EuropeanParliament members, students,
union leaders, and ordinarypeople risking their freedom to
deliver aid.
Alongside them are well-knownfigures.
Nelson Mandela's grandson,Mandla Mandela.
Actors, Liam Cunningham andSusan Sarandon, and climate
(19:32):
activist Greta Thunberg.
They knew the risks.
In 2010, Israeli commandoskilled 10 activists on a similar
Flotilla.
Multiple other Flotillas overthe years, including one earlier
this summer, were intercepted.
Still, they sailed anyway.
Greta Thunberg put it best.
Sailing toward Gaza she warned:
(19:55):
Of course it's good that, um,the Palestinian causes more on
the agenda, but these symbolicgestures will lead nowhere
unless they are accompanied withreal action.
For example, Sweden, where I'mfrom, has recognized Palestine
for over 10 years.
We have had a Palestinianembassy and we are still
complicit in this genocide, uh,financially, uh, politically and
(20:18):
military while supporting.
In this genocide, which makes uscomplicit.
Now, the UN Commission hasconfirmed what Palestinians and
human rights organizations havebeen saying for a very long
time, that there is a genocidegoing on in Gaza and under
international law states have alegal duty to act, not only to
speak up, but do everything intheir power to stop it, ending
(20:40):
arms transfers, endingcomplicity, and applying real
pressure.
But this time it seemed like things might be
different.
Spain and Italy had even sentnaval warships to escort them,
calling the flotilla"ahumanitarian act", NOT"a
provocation" or"an act of war".
But as the boats neared Gaza,the war ships stopped, turned
(21:01):
back.
Leaving the activist to face theIsraeli navy alone.
On October 1st and second,Israeli forces intercepted the
flotilla in internationalwaters; blasting the boats with
water cannons, jammingcommunications, cutting live
streams and boarding everyvessel.
Hundreds were detained.
The aid they carried neverreached Gaza.
(21:22):
And then came the humiliation.
National Security MinisterItamar Ben-Gvir, visited the
detention center, mocking theactivists on video.
"These are the flotillaterrorist supporters of
murderers", he sneered.
Dismissing the aid effort asnothing more than"a party".
After their capture, theGuardian and other news agencies
reported that several activists,including Greta Thunberg, were
(21:45):
mistreated in Israeli custody.
Protests erupted worldwide.
In Barcelona, more than 15,000people marched.
In Italy, students occupieduniversities and the country's
largest union called for ageneral strike.
Demonstrations filled thestreets of Paris, Berlin,
Geneva, Dublin, Athens, andmultiple other cities around the
(22:06):
world.
Turkey called the raid an act ofterrorism.
When it came to consequences,only Columbia took real action,
expelling Israeli diplomats andcanceling its trade agreement.
Most European countries and theUnited States did nothing.
This is what Palestiniansovereignty looks like under
symbolic recognition.
(22:27):
Even when escorted by NATOwarships Palestinians' allies
are left to be boarded ininternational waters.
Even when hundreds of peopleincluding world renowned
figures, risk their freedom.
Israel does what it wants,without consequence.
The activist showed whatsolidarity looks like.
The warships showed whatsymbolism looks like.
(22:47):
That's the difference betweengestures and real action.
And so that brings us back totoday.
Two years after October 7th,what has actually changed for
Palestinians?
Over 67,000 dead.
Famine declared in Gaza City.
The United Nations has finallycalled it what it is, genocide.
(23:08):
Neighborhoods systematicallyreduced to rubble.
A leader promising permanentwar.
And now a peace plan that handstheir future to billionaires and
war criminals.
Even if that deal goes through,Palestinians will still live
under the same suffocatingconditions that led to October
7th in the first place.
Blockaded,controlled, stateless,governed indefinitely by others
(23:34):
under the guise of security.
The only difference, instead ofIsrael alone, it's Israel plus
Trump, Blair and theirbillionaire board.
We've seen this play before.
Empty condemnations,performative recognition,
promises of reform that nevercome.
The world stages peace whilePalestinians keep dying.
(23:58):
Recognition must come withenforcement, real sanctions,
real accountability, realconsequences.
Peace must mean sovereignty, notnetanyahu's reforms, not
aspirations buried in fineprint.
Not colonial boards decidingwhen Palestinians are finally
ready for freedom.
The flotilla made that clear.
(24:20):
Those who had nothing riskedeverything, those with power
turned away.
That's not just the story of ablockade.
It's a story of our time.
Until Palestinians have whatevery people deserve, freedom,
dignity, and the right todetermine their own future.
This cycle will never end.
(24:41):
Thank you for listening.
If this episode helped you seethe truth behind the symbolism,
please share it.
Until next time, stay curious,stay critical, and stay
connected.
Two years ago, October 7th, 2023, Hamas
militants killed more than 1200Israelis and took 251 hostages.
It was horrific, nightmarish,and a war crime.
The deadliest single day forJewish people since the
Holocaust.
Three weeks later, UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Gutierrez, said
(00:26):
something before the UN SecurityCouncil that enraged Israeli
officials, but revealed anuncomfortable truth:
I have condemned unequivocallythe horrifying and unprecedented
7 October acts of terror byHamas in Israel.
Nothing can justify thedeliberate killing, injuring and
(00:47):
kidnapping of civilians or thelaunching of rockets against
civilian targets.
All hostages must be treatedhumanely and released
immediately and withoutconditions.
She is important to alsorecognize The attacks by Hamas
did not happen in a vacuum ThePalestinian people have been
subjected to 56 years ofsuffocating occupation They have
(01:12):
seen their land steadilydevoured by settlements and
plagued by violence Theireconomy stifled, their people
displaced, and their homesdemolished Their hopes for a
political solution to theirplight have been vanishing.
Despite the controversy.
Gutierrez was right.
Understanding context isn'tjustifying atrocity.
(01:35):
It's the only way to prevent thenext one.
Two years later, the world isperforming grand gestures.
Countries are formallyrecognizing Palestine.
The UN declared famine andgenocide, for the first time,
Trump unveiled a"historic" peaceplan, massive flotilla of
activists risked arrest to breaka long standing naval blockade.
(02:00):
On the surface progress.
But here's the question thatcuts through the headlines.
What is actually changing forPalestinians on the ground?
Because while the world applaudsitself, tens of thousands of
Palestinians are dead.
Netanyahu continues his Gazacampaign without consequence.
(02:21):
And the largest aid flotilla inhistory, escorted by European
warships, was still intercepted.
Recognition without enforcementis theater.
Condemnation withoutconsequences is performance art.
And if this peace deal goesthrough in its current form, we
may see the world declarevictory, then turn away while
(02:45):
Palestinians remain trapped inthe very conditions that made
October 7th possible.
So, let's start Khannecting TheDots.
First, we have to start withwhat's been happening in Gaza
over the past few weeks.
Back in August, Netanyahuoverruled his own military
leadership, the heads of theIDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet.
(03:08):
They warned him invading GazaCity, would endanger hostages,
kill civilians, and fail todismantle Hamas.
He did it anyway.
Bowing to pressure from his farright coalition.
By late September, entireneighborhoods of Gaza City had
been flattened.
The UN's human rights officewarned"The systematic
destruction of Gaza City isalready underway".
(03:31):
Israeli tanks kept pushingsouth, ordering nearly a million
Palestinians to flee, butthere's no safe place left to
go.
On September 18th alone, 98Palestinians were killed.
Many of them in Gaza Cityfamilies dug through concrete
with their bare hands to searchfor loved ones.
Since the war began, more than67,000 Palestinians have been
(03:55):
killed.
At least 170,000 injured sinceIsrael broke the ceasefire In
March, over 13,000 have beenkilled.
Sometimes it's hard to graspthose kind of numbers.
Think of it this way, in justthe last six months, every day
has brought the equivalent of anairplane carrying 70 to 80
(04:15):
people crashing down, with nosurvivors.
Nearly 1000 people have beenkilled while simply seeking
food.
Most at the Gaza humanitariansites set up by the US and
Israel, countless more have beeninjured in those attacks.
In August, a UN back monitor,declared famine in Gaza City.
(04:36):
Over half a million people nowliving under starvation
conditions.
Over 450 people have died fromstarvation alone.
145 of them children.
This isn't collateral damage,it's calculated destruction.
On September 15th, Netanyahugave a speech that revealed his
(04:57):
long-term vision.
He said, Israel must become a"super Sparta".
Not Athens, the cradle ofWestern democracy and culture,
but Sparta, the militarized citystate, defined by permanent war
and isolation.
He called for"economicself-reliance" code for turning
inward, embracing siege as a wayof life.
(05:18):
The Tel Aviv stock exchangetanked, Netanyahu backtracked
the next day, claiming he wasmisunderstood.
But the mask had slipped.
The very next day, September16th, came a historic judgment,
a UN Commission of inquiry, orCOI, declared that Israel is
committing genocide in Gaza, theCOI based this conclusion on its
(05:39):
own investigations and relied onthe international criminal
tribunals to examine theevidence gathered.
They found Israeli forces hadcommitted four of the five acts
that constitute genocide asdefined in the genocide
convention.
Killing members of the group.
Causing serious bodily andmental harm.
Deliberately inflictingconditions designed to destroy
(06:00):
the group.
And imposing measures to preventbirths.
They concluded these acts werecarried out with genocidal
intent.
That's where we are today.
Neighborhoods reduce the rubble.
Family starving in plain sight.
A leader promising endless warand the UN calling it genocide.
(06:21):
Even as Trump pushes his newpeace deal and Hamas accepted
aspects of the proposal, thekilling didn't stop.
NBC News reported that sinceSaturday morning, 54 bodies were
brought to Gaza Hospitals, 45 ofthem in Gaza City.
Some were killed in airstrikes.
Others were shot as they triedto return to their homes or
(06:41):
while waiting for aid.
That is the reality on theground.
Palestinians still dying by thedozens each day, even as talk of
ceasefires and peace plans fillthe headlines.
Meanwhile, the world is busystaging symbolic performances.
On September 21st, the UnitedKingdom, Canada, Australia, and
(07:02):
Portugal, formerly recognizedPalestine as a state.
Here's UK Prime Minister KeirStarmer:
Meanwhile, the manmadehumanitarian crisis in Gaza
reaches new deaths.
The Israeli government'srelentless and increasing
bombardment of Gaza, theoffensive of recent weeks, the
(07:25):
starvation and devastation areutterly intolerable.
Tens of thousands have beenkilled, including thousands.
As they tried to collect foodand water, this death and
destruction horrifies all of us.
(07:45):
The hope of a two-state solutionis fading, but we cannot let
that light go out.
So today to revive the hope ofpeace and a two-state solution,
I state clearly.
As Prime minister of this greatcountry that the United Kingdom
(08:11):
formally recognizes, the stateof Palestine.
headlines called it historic.
With that, more than threequarters of UN member states now
officially recognize Palestine.
The next day, the first day ofthe UN meeting in New York,
France made a similardeclaration in a joint meeting
with Saudi Arabia.
(08:32):
But here's the reality.
Recognition doesn't createsovereignty.
It doesn't lift the blockade, itdoesn't give Palestinians
control of their borders,airspace, or resources.
Israel still decides who andwhat moves in and out.
Settlements keep expanding.
Homes are demolished daily, andwhile diplomats made speeches,
(08:54):
the invasion of Gaza City ragedon.
Conservatives in Israel eventalked about splitting the West
Bank to ensure that noPalestinian state could ever be
formed.
As one Palestinian student toldNPR.
"We want people to speak up tochange something.
Not to just say it and move on."Five days later, Netanyahu
(09:17):
walked into the UN GeneralAssembly.
Before he even reached thepodium, delegates from 77
countries had walked out.
He stood in the half empty halland declared recognition,
"shameful and disgraceful".
He vowed Israel would finish thejob in Gaza.
He knew he had us backing.
Just days earlier, Trump hadcalled recognition of Palestine,
(09:37):
a"gift to Hamas".
Netanyahu took it even further,making his position crystal
clear.
"There will be no Palestinianstate west of the Jordan River".
In a truly Orwellian move, hisvoice echoed through Gaza
blaring from loudspeakers,hijacked phones, and forced live
streams.
Under the pretext that it was sothe hostages could hear him, but
(09:59):
really it was the Palestiniansbombed, starved, and silenced
who were forced to listen asNetanyahu denied their right to
exist as a nation.
That same week, Trump wasworking the sidelines in New
York, meeting Arab leaderspushing his new peace plan.
The following Monday, September29th, he unveiled the plan at
(10:19):
the White House, standing nextto Netanyahu.
He called it"one of the greatdays in civilization".
On paper, it offered bigconcessions.
All Israeli hostages releasedwithin 72 hours.
Israel freeing nearly 2000Palestinian prisoners.
The war stopping immediately.
Humanitarian aid flooding intoGaza through UN backed agencies.
(10:43):
Sounds like progress.
But here's the catch.
For Trump, the plan is not aboutthe details.
Haaretz, an Israeli, newspaperand others reported he was
pushing hard because the NobelPeace Prize vote is on October
10th and he wants it.
He's been chasing the prizesince his first term, often
pointing to Obama's award asproof of how unfair he's been
(11:04):
treated.
In Trump's mind.
If Obama got it, he deserves itmore.
And the irony, Netanyahu himselfnominated Trump for the award
earlier this year.
That gave Netanyahu leverage.
Over the weekend, he was able toreshape the plan working through
Trump's envoys, Jared Kushnerand Steve Witkoff.
He knew Trump wouldn't sweat thefine print.
(11:25):
Trump wanted the headline, andthe Nobel.
Arab leaders were furious whenthey saw what had changed.
Edits made without their input.
Remember, Trump's team had beennegotiating with them for weeks
only to alter key details at thelast minute.
The new draft gave Israel a vetoover withdrawal and the right to
keep troops in Gaza indefinitelyuntil securities is ensured,
(11:48):
which could mean forever.
Beyond the changes Netanyahusecured, there were other
provisions in the plan thatalarmed diplomats and human
rights groups alike.
First Gaza wouldn't be governedby Palestinians.
It would be overseen by aninternational body, the
so-called"Board of Peace".
At the top.
(12:08):
Donald Trump appointed himselfchair.
Alongside him sits formerBritish Prime Minister Tony
Blair, the man, Haaretz reportsis effectively running gaza's
reconstruction effort.
Blair has been involved from thevery start, leveraging
diplomatic and business tiesthat made him immensely wealthy.
He ceded the ceremonial chairmantitle to Trump, but continues to
act as chief executive.
(12:30):
Coordinating with Trump'sson-in-law, Jared Kushner and US
special envoy to the MiddleEast.
Steve Witkoff, who himself is areal estate mogul.
Blair is an Israeli supporterthrough and through.
During the war he was evenspotted at Israel's defense
headquarters in Tel Aviv.
"We've been friends for 20years" defense Minister Yoav
Gallant told Haaretz.
(12:50):
"when he wants to hear thetruth, he comes to me".
Reporting for the Middle EastEye and Haaretz details the
names of those expected to joinhim.
None of them Palestinian.
Yet, all granted political andlegal authority over Gaza.
Among them is Aryeh Lightstone.
A former Trump Envoy and CEO ofthe Abraham Accords Peace
(13:11):
Institute.
He helped create the GazaHumanitarian Foundation, the aid
network that replaced the UN asGaza's main distributor of food,
and which Doctors WithoutBorders has accused of
"institutionalized starvationand orchestrated killing".
But that's not all.
Lightstone has said,"there's noappropriate timing for a
Palestinian state" and thatremoving Hamas must come before
(13:33):
any talks.
Financial records also link himto Im Tirtzu, a far right
Israeli group, so extreme thateven Netanyahu once condemned it
for labeling artists and humanrights obligate as foreign
agents.
He's not a neutral technocrat,he's an Ideologue.
The man overseeing Gaza's.
Humanitarian relief is someonewhose career has been built on
(13:55):
entrenching Israeli control.
Then there are the billionaires,Mark Rowan, a Wall Street
financier who called Israel'scampaign, a"Just War" and Naguib
Sawiris, an Egyptian magnet andlongtime Blair ally, pushing for
Gaza to become a Dubai stylefree market enclave.
Together they represent thefinancial vision of this
(14:16):
so-called peace; profit beforepeople.
Finally, Sigrid Kaag, the onlywoman and the only UN technocrat
named.
She's described Gaza as a"stainin our collective conscience",
condemned the"weaponization ofaid" and called the devastation
"a moon landscape".
Her words show she understandsthe scale of suffering.
(14:37):
But on this board, her voicewill be in the minority, a token
member included, only to createthe illusion that all sides are
being considered.
Under this structure,Palestinian officials would
exist, but only those deemedneutral by the board.
In essence, though, they have noindependent authority, no real
power.
Most of these figures do notappear to have Gaza's interests
(15:00):
at heart.
This isn't reconstruction.
It's an investment opportunity.
This is what Trump calls peace,a governing council of
billionaires, ideologues, andWestern diplomats deciding when
Palestinians have reformedenough to rule themselves.
The plan is so extreme that eventhe United Nations took notice.
(15:21):
Its legal office issued a reviewidentifying 15 separate
violations of international law: from denying Palestinians the (15:24):
undefined
right to self-determination, tolegitimizing indefinite
occupation, to handinggovernance to foreign powers
with no Democratic mandate.
Those violations weren'taccidental.
They were written into the fineprint.
Buried in the plan was onetelling line.
(15:46):
"The PA Palestinian Authority)Reform Program is faithfully
carried out.
Conditions may finally be inplace for a credible pathway to
Palestinian self-determinationand statehood, which we
recognize as the aspiration ofthe Palestinian people." Sounds
promising, right?
Until you hear what reformactually means.
Netanyahu, spelled it out at theWhite House Press conference.
(16:10):
As for the Palestinianauthority, I appreciate your
firm position that the PA couldhave no role whatsoever in Gaza
without undergoing a radical andgenuine transformation.
In your 2020 Peace plan, whichyou mentioned just now, you made
clear what that transformationrequires.
(16:31):
It's not lip service, it's notchecking a box.
It's a fundamental, genuine, andenduring transformation, and
that means ending pay to slay,changing the poisonous textbooks
that teach hatred to Jews, toPalestinian children.
Stopping incitement in themedia, ending lawfare against
(16:53):
Israel at the ICC, the ICJ,recognizing the Jewish state and
many, many other reforms.
Raheel Khan (17:02):
With those kinds of demands, Palestinian
self-governance will beimpossible.
In effect, Palestinians mustaccept every injustice, renounce
every form of resistance, andabsolve Israel of all guilt and
responsibility for any and allatrocities.
Only then will Israel evenconsider granting them basic
rights.
With the illusion of diplomacycollapsing, arab leaders
(17:25):
frustrated, Hamas stalling.
Trump, never one for waiting.
Decided to force the issue.
On October 3rd, Trump issued anultimatum.
Hamas had until Sunday toaccept, or in his words,"all
hell, like no one has ever seenbefore, will break out".
That's not negotiation.
It's extortion.
(17:45):
Accept colonial administrationor face annihilation.
Later that day, Hamas respondedwith a conditional"yes, but..."
agreeing to release hostages andback a Palestinian technocratic
government, while quietlysidestepping Trump's foreign
control board, and any promiseto disarm.
Trump declared them ready forpeace.
(18:06):
He even told Israel to"stop thebombs", but the bombs didn't
stop as I said above.
In the 24 hours after his tweet,at least 54 more Palestinians
were killed across Gaza.
Proof that the rhetoric of peacemeant nothing on the ground.
And the deal itself remainsfragile.
Hamas hasn't accepted all theterms, and Netanyahu has a long
(18:29):
record of sabotaging peace.
Haaretz warn just days earlierabout the danger of trusting him
to deliver.
While those negotiations playedout in conference rooms and
press briefings, anotherstruggle was unfolding on the
water.
A flotilla, the largest ever,was on its way to Gaza.
Carrying hundreds of activistsdetermined to break an 18 year
(18:49):
long naval blockade.
By late August over 40 boats setsail for Gaza.
Nearly 500 activists from over44 countries.
Known as the Global SumudFlotilla, the aid they carried
was mostly symbolic.
They couldn't carry enough aidto make a real difference.
Their main goal was to open ahumanitarian pathway.
(19:10):
So aid could be delivered toGaza and to draw attention to
the blockade.
The passengers included EuropeanParliament members, students,
union leaders, and ordinarypeople risking their freedom to
deliver aid.
Alongside them are well-knownfigures.
Nelson Mandela's grandson,Mandla Mandela.
Actors, Liam Cunningham andSusan Sarandon, and climate
(19:32):
activist Greta Thunberg.
They knew the risks.
In 2010, Israeli commandoskilled 10 activists on a similar
Flotilla.
Multiple other Flotillas overthe years, including one earlier
this summer, were intercepted.
Still, they sailed anyway.
Greta Thunberg put it best.
Sailing toward Gaza she warned:
(19:55):
Of course it's good that, um,the Palestinian causes more on
the agenda, but these symbolicgestures will lead nowhere
unless they are accompanied withreal action.
For example, Sweden, where I'mfrom, has recognized Palestine
for over 10 years.
We have had a Palestinianembassy and we are still
complicit in this genocide, uh,financially, uh, politically and
(20:18):
military while supporting.
In this genocide, which makes uscomplicit.
Now, the UN Commission hasconfirmed what Palestinians and
human rights organizations havebeen saying for a very long
time, that there is a genocidegoing on in Gaza and under
international law states have alegal duty to act, not only to
speak up, but do everything intheir power to stop it, ending
(20:40):
arms transfers, endingcomplicity, and applying real
pressure.
But this time it seemed like things might be
different.
Spain and Italy had even sentnaval warships to escort them,
calling the flotilla"ahumanitarian act", NOT"a
provocation" or"an act of war".
But as the boats neared Gaza,the war ships stopped, turned
(21:01):
back.
Leaving the activist to face theIsraeli navy alone.
On October 1st and second,Israeli forces intercepted the
flotilla in internationalwaters; blasting the boats with
water cannons, jammingcommunications, cutting live
streams and boarding everyvessel.
Hundreds were detained.
The aid they carried neverreached Gaza.
(21:22):
And then came the humiliation.
National Security MinisterItamar Ben-Gvir, visited the
detention center, mocking theactivists on video.
"These are the flotillaterrorist supporters of
murderers", he sneered.
Dismissing the aid effort asnothing more than"a party".
After their capture, theGuardian and other news agencies
reported that several activists,including Greta Thunberg, were
(21:45):
mistreated in Israeli custody.
Protests erupted worldwide.
In Barcelona, more than 15,000people marched.
In Italy, students occupieduniversities and the country's
largest union called for ageneral strike.
Demonstrations filled thestreets of Paris, Berlin,
Geneva, Dublin, Athens, andmultiple other cities around the
(22:06):
world.
Turkey called the raid an act ofterrorism.
When it came to consequences,only Columbia took real action,
expelling Israeli diplomats andcanceling its trade agreement.
Most European countries and theUnited States did nothing.
This is what Palestiniansovereignty looks like under
symbolic recognition.
(22:27):
Even when escorted by NATOwarships Palestinians' allies
are left to be boarded ininternational waters.
Even when hundreds of peopleincluding world renowned
figures, risk their freedom.
Israel does what it wants,without consequence.
The activist showed whatsolidarity looks like.
The warships showed whatsymbolism looks like.
(22:47):
That's the difference betweengestures and real action.
And so that brings us back totoday.
Two years after October 7th,what has actually changed for
Palestinians?
Over 67,000 dead.
Famine declared in Gaza City.
The United Nations has finallycalled it what it is, genocide.
(23:08):
Neighborhoods systematicallyreduced to rubble.
A leader promising permanentwar.
And now a peace plan that handstheir future to billionaires and
war criminals.
Even if that deal goes through,Palestinians will still live
under the same suffocatingconditions that led to October
7th in the first place.
Blockaded,controlled, stateless,governed indefinitely by others
(23:34):
under the guise of security.
The only difference, instead ofIsrael alone, it's Israel plus
Trump, Blair and theirbillionaire board.
We've seen this play before.
Empty condemnations,performative recognition,
promises of reform that nevercome.
The world stages peace whilePalestinians keep dying.
(23:58):
Recognition must come withenforcement, real sanctions,
real accountability, realconsequences.
Peace must mean sovereignty, notnetanyahu's reforms, not
aspirations buried in fineprint.
Not colonial boards decidingwhen Palestinians are finally
ready for freedom.
The flotilla made that clear.
(24:20):
Those who had nothing riskedeverything, those with power
turned away.
That's not just the story of ablockade.
It's a story of our time.
Until Palestinians have whatevery people deserve, freedom,
dignity, and the right todetermine their own future.
This cycle will never end.
(24:41):
Thank you for listening.
If this episode helped you seethe truth behind the symbolism,
please share it.
Until next time, stay curious,stay critical, and stay
connected.
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