Why Palestinians Feel They’ve Been ‘Duped’
About this episode
Palestinian analyst Amjad Iraqi reconstructs Gaza's modern history from the 1948 war through the 1967 occupation, Hamas's rise, its election victory, and the split with Fatah that left Gaza under blockade. He explains the long-standing 'violent equilibrium' between Israel and Hamas, the asymmetry of its costs, and how Benjamin Netanyahu's divide-and-rule strategy sustained that arrangement until October 7 shattered it. Iraqi explores why many Palestinians have lost faith in diplomacy, boycotts, and mass protest, turning instead toward armed struggle, and critiques both nationalism and rigid statehood frameworks as answers. He argues for political arrangements centered on equality, decentralized power, and acknowledgment of Palestinian rights rather than fixed borders and flags.