It Could Happen Here It Could Happen Here Weekly 212
Dec 13, 2025
Dana El Kurd, a journalist focusing on Arab-Israeli relations, discusses Gaza's reconstruction and the implications of international aid efforts. Matan Kaminer and Ben Schumann-Stoler delve into the motivations behind the Abraham Accords and the normalization of relations, analyzing its impact on local populations. They critique the rhetoric of tolerance as a tool for coercion and explore the growing discontent among the public regarding elite political agreements. The conversation also touches on the geopolitical future concerning potential Saudi normalization with Israel.
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Gaza As Economic Zone, Not Political Community
- The U.S. and Israel's Gaza reconstruction plan frames Gaza as an economic zone while denying Palestinians political rights.
- Dana El Kurd warns the plan seeks to incentivize large-scale displacement rather than restore sovereignty.
Abraham Framing Obscures Material Interests
- The Abraham Accords reframed Arab-Israeli ties with religious kinship language around 'Abraham' to depoliticize core disputes.
- Matan Kaminer shows this myth masks material drivers like security deals and elite alignment with Israel.
Tolerance Language Enables Authoritarian Management
- 'Tolerance' in the Accords functions as authoritarian conflict management to depoliticize publics and repress dissent.
- Ben Schuman-Stoler and Matan argue normalization privileges elite business and security goals over rights.
