560. Trump's Hamas Disarmament 'Deal' and Europe's FIFA Boycott
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Why does the episode start by contrasting military success with political failure in the Middle East?
There are moments in international politics when military success and political success move together. And then there are moments when they begin to split and diverge. And I think the Middle East is at one of those moments. Israel today probably enjoys the strongest military position that it has had for decades. Hamas is badly damaged. Hezbollah fatally weakened, Iran under enormous pressure. And yet the fundamental questions look almost as intractable as they did before October the 7th. Who governs Gaza? Who controls South Lebanon? How do you stop Iran rebuilding its influence? And what ultimately is Israel's long-term vision of security? That's why the announcement of a roadmap for Hamas to disarm recently from President Trump is so fascinating.
It isn't simply a story about Gaza. It's really asking whether military dominance can finally be converted into political order, or whether we're simply looking at another pause before the next round of fighting. This episode is powered by Fuse Energy.
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What are the main arguments for and against Trump’s proposed Hamas disarmament deal?
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How are Israel’s upcoming elections expected to shape its policy on Gaza, the West Bank and settlements?
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Welcome to the Restless Politics Question Time with me, Alistair Campbell. And with me, Rory Stewart. Okay, Rory, we're going to start in the Middle East. Eamon, Triplus member from Dublin. If Hamas disarms, how likely is Israel to hold up its end and withdraw? Who can actually force them to, given they've ignored the earlier ceasefire commitments already? And if the IDF does leave, who goes in behind them?
Who is the new leader of Hamas and how might his hard‑line stance affect any peace roadmap?
Who keeps order? And who does Israel actually hand Gaza over to? And I think Eamon there is reflecting quite a lot of the skepticism that was the immediate response when this text of this deal was published last week. So what do you think?
Two things. One of them is that Israel A lot of this is about sequencing. A lot of this is about the question of when a group disarms, could be Hamas, could be Hezbollah, and when Israel withdraws. So from the point of view of these armed groups, Hamas or Hezbollah, they're not going to disarm and then find that Israel is still there. Obviously, they believe that they're keeping their weapons so that They feel they're fighting for the independence of Lebanon.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why does the episode start by contrasting military success with political failure in the Middle East?
0:01–1:33
2
What are the main arguments for and against Trump’s proposed Hamas disarmament deal?
1:33–3:02
3
How are Israel’s upcoming elections expected to shape its policy on Gaza, the West Bank and settlements?
3:02–3:49
4
Who is the new leader of Hamas and how might his hard‑line stance affect any peace roadmap?
3:49–4:48
5
What is the current humanitarian and political situation in the West Bank and how are settlements expanding?
4:48–6:45
6
Why is FIFA president Gianni Infantino being accused of hating football and what is the EU boycott about?
6:45–9:12
7
Who is Count Binface, why did he stand in Clacton, and what does his candidacy say about voter frustration?
9:12–11:46
8
Which books do the hosts recommend as essential reading before you die and why?
11:46–59:25
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The Rest Is Politics
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573. Burnham and Carney vs. Trump, and the Diana Dispute
The Greatest Threat Humans Just Can’t Stomach with Yuval Noah Harari
572. Trump’s Next Middle East Crisis and Reform’s £72m Megadonation
571. Rory and Alastair Challenge Ed Miliband on Israel-Palestine