Podcast Summary: It Could Happen Here

Episode: Gaza and the Board of Peace feat. Dana El Kurd

Date: January 26, 2026
Host/Speaker: Dana Al Kurd (with reporting by Hind Khadari; quotes from Special Envoy Steve Witkoff)
Theme: A critical breakdown of the aftermath of the Gaza ceasefire, the Trump administration’s “peace plan,” and the rise of global neocolonial conflict management.

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by political science professor and Palestinian politics researcher Dana Al Kurd, explores the deteriorating situation in Gaza following the so-called ceasefire, the implementation of the Trump administration’s multi-phase "peace plan," and the rollout of the controversial “Board of Peace.” The discussion illustrates how recent U.S.-backed policies in Gaza—managed by international billionaires and politicians—epitomize a new global doctrine of authoritarian conflict management, ethnic cleansing, and the commodification of war-torn regions for business interests. Dana Al Kurd provides a detailed update and critique, with input from on-the-ground journalist Hind Khadari.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Escalating Repression and Gaza's Reality (00:36–03:41)

• Context Update: Al Kurd sets the global scene, referencing ongoing crises worldwide, and notes that “what's happening in Palestine has largely slipped out of most people's feeds and certainly the media headlines.”
• Ceasefire Consequences: In the three months following the declared ceasefire:
  • 449 Palestinians killed, 1,246 injured (over 100 children).
  • Israeli military pushes further into Gaza, marking new restricted zones with physical yellow barriers.
  • Over 50% of the Gaza Strip remains inaccessible to Palestinians and humanitarian aid ([01:20]–[02:40]).

“It's easier to hide behind 40 atrocities than a single incident. I will never not squeeze in an Andor reference when I can, given that this is the state of the world.” — Dana Al Kurd (00:52)

The U.S. "Peace Plan" and the Board of Peace (03:02–07:52)

• Phase Two Launch: U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announces the next phase, emphasizing reconstruction, demilitarization, and the creation of a "technocratic" Palestinian administration (the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza).
• Board of Peace Formation:
  • Chaired by Donald Trump, administered by Tony Blair.
  • Members include Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, Mark Rowan, Yakir Gabay, with invites extended to Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban.
  • Described by Reuters as "a Trump United Nations that ignores the fundamentals of the UN Charter" ([05:30]).

“Trump declared himself the chair of this Board of Peace that's supposed to bring peace to the Middle east, and Tony Blair was tapped to run it, much to the outrage of anyone who witnessed Blair's cooperation in the destruction of Iraq.” — Dana Al Kurd (04:30)

• Business Opportunity Masked as Peace: Participation in the Board requires a "$1 billion price tag" per country. The plan aims to transform Gaza into the "riviera of the Middle East."
• Underlying Motives: Al Kurd critiques the Board and the GREAT (Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation) plan as instruments for ethnic cleansing, forced migration, and real estate development under the guise of reconstruction ([07:12]).

“This oversight board is intended to manage conflict because let's be clear, this isn't about solving conflict at the expense of the people who have been facing the brunt of this conflict.” — Dana Al Kurd (06:49)

“Might is right. Ethnic cleansing is okay. And war is a prime real estate development opportunity.” — Dana Al Kurd (07:38)

Authoritarian Management: The Role of the Director General (10:59–15:00)

• Appointment of Nikolay Mladinov: Former Bulgarian politician/diplomat and Abraham Accords advocate is named "Director General," and will oversee the technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza.
  • Mladinov has a history in authoritarian politics, and now represents the US-Israeli-UAE vision for the region—a model centered on control, compliance, and suppression of dissent.
• Regional “Vision”: The intended Middle East is described as “modern, developed, tolerant,” but in reality is defined by authoritarian rule where citizens are mere subjects, social freedoms are limited, and mass displacements are normalized.
• Paradigm Shift: The era of pretense about international law is over; now, conquest and ethnic cleansing are explicit policy.

“Their vision of the Middle east is one that is authoritarian and contained — more citizens are subjects. ... This is a vision where states like the UAE ... and Israel can get away with ethnic cleansing ... because ethnic cleansing and genocide are apparently a perfectly reasonable way of getting rid of undesirables.” — Dana Al Kurd (12:12)

The Don Road Doctrine and Global Repercussions (15:00–16:38)

• Doctrine Explained: The Trump administration’s global stance is that “each powerful state gets to do what it wants in its own sphere of influence,” with conquest and territorial aggression openly encouraged.
  • Example cited: Stephen Miller justifying the invasion of Greenland.

“‘Under every understanding of law that has existed about territorial control for 500 years, to control a territory, you have to be able to defend ... improve ... inhabit a territory. Denmark has failed on every single one of these tests.’” — Quoting Stephen Miller (14:58)

• Gaza as a Blueprint: The policy towards Gaza is presented as a test case for managing weaker states or stateless peoples globally through authoritarian means.

Palestinian Perspectives & On-the-Ground Reality (16:38–18:34)

• Official Statements: Palestinian Authority and Hamas issue cautiously positive statements about the administrative changes, seeking a seat at the table or calm, but with little influence.

• Israeli Response: Israel rejects any Palestinian involvement, even at the technocratic level.

• Gazan Response (Reporter Hind Khadari’s Testimony):

“Palestinians did not see anything on the ground. There is no change. ... Palestinians are frustrated. They're very disappointed. They thought that phase two would give them the freedom of movement, that would give them reconstruction of Gaza, would also give them a little bit of what they lost. But on the ground, nothing happened, nothing changed.” — Hind Khadari ([16:44])

• Humanitarian Failure: Demolitions, drones, and explosions continue. Livelihood, freedom, and access to reconstruction remain out of reach for ordinary Gazans.

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On Obfuscation:
  “It's easier to hide behind 40 atrocities than a single incident.”
  — Dana Al Kurd ([00:52])

• On the Board of Peace:
  “Trump declared himself the chair of this Board of Peace ... and Tony Blair was tapped to run it, much to the outrage of anyone who witnessed Blair's cooperation in the destruction of Iraq.”
  — Dana Al Kurd ([04:30])

• Distilling the Plan:
  “Might is right. Ethnic cleansing is okay. And war is a prime real estate development opportunity.”
  — Dana Al Kurd ([07:38])

• On Authoritarian Vision:
  “This is a vision where ... Israel can get away with ethnic cleansing in Palestine, because ethnic cleansing and genocide are apparently a perfectly reasonable way of getting rid of undesirables.”
  — Dana Al Kurd ([12:12])

• Palestinian Frustration:
  "There is no change. ... On the ground, nothing happened, nothing changed. ... mainly there is a lot of frustration because there's nothing changing on the ground."
  — Hind Khadari ([16:44])

Important Timestamps

• 00:36 – Dana Al Kurd opens with a reality check on the state of Gaza post-ceasefire.
• 03:02 – U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announces phase two of the peace plan.
• 04:30 – Detailed breakdown of the Board of Peace and its controversial membership.
• 07:12 – Critique of the plan’s real motives: forced migration, business profiteering.
• 10:59 – Introduction of Nikolay Mladinov as Director General, background and implications.
• 12:12-14:50 – Discussion of regional authoritarianism and abandonment of pretense in international law.
• 16:38 – Hind Khadari’s testimony from Gaza; direct account of ground-level conditions.
• 18:02 – Closing reflections: the world’s powerful “peacemakers” rewriting reality while Gazans remain trapped.

Tone & Style

Dana Al Kurd’s narrative is informed, incisive, and skeptical—mixing personal observation, academic insight, and sharp political critique. The tone is urgent and candid, underscoring the human stakes while illuminating the geopolitical game at play.

Conclusion

This episode of It Could Happen Here exposes how the American-led reconstruction of Gaza is, in practice, a smokescreen for dispossession, authoritarian management, and profit-seeking, offering a chilling vision of future global order. In the end, as both Al Kurd and Hind Khadari highlight, for Palestinians in Gaza, “on the ground, nothing happened, nothing changed”—and the self-proclaimed “peacemakers” write the narrative while Gazans remain in limbo.