Behind the Bastards
Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 248

September 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In July 2026, Hamas agreed to a second phase of the Gaza ceasefire that hinged on a condition that has defined the entire process: the complete disarmament of Hamas. The announcement was celebrated by President Trump as a "historic agreement," but the details reveal a far more conditional and strategic move. Hamas stated it would relinquish its weapons only on the condition of a permanent end to Israeli attacks, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a commitment to recovery and reconstruction. Crucially, Hamas specified that no weapons would be handed over to Israel or any non-Palestinian party. Instead, they would be surrendered to a National Committee of Palestinian technocrats—a governance structure that has yet to fully function. Israeli officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, immediately rejected the proposal. As researcher Dan Alcard explains, this announcement may amount to nothing if Israel does not comply, but it forces a larger question about the entity at the center of the entire process: the Board of Peace.

The Architecture of the Board of Peace

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:10) **Episode Introduction & Composition Note** - Robert Evans introduces the episode as a composition of the week's shows, explaining that regular daily listeners will find no new content.
  • 2 (02:36) **Segment 1: The Board of Peace and the Gaza Ceasefire** - Analyst Dan Alcard introduces the topic: whether the structure of the Board of Peace makes a fair outcome for Palestinians structurally impossible.
  • 3 (06:01) **Segment 1: Hamas's Concessions and the Board's Design Flaws** - Alcard analyzes Hamas's recent strategic moves, including agreeing to disarmament and dissolving its emergency committee.
  • 4 (23:17) **Segment 2: The Kropotkin-Malatesta Debate on World War I** - Andrewism and Neil Wall introduce the historical debate between anarchists Peter Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta over whether anarchists should support one side in an imperialist war.
  • 5 (50:44) **Segment 3: The Hunt for Jason Arday** - Robert Evans introduces an investigation by Stephanie Lamy into the campaign of harassment that led to the suicide of black Cambridge professor Jason Arday.
  • 6 (92:17) **Segment 4: Rethinking the Meaning of "Civilization"** - Andrewism and Neil Wall discuss the loaded concept of "civilization" and its historical use to justify conquest and hierarchy.
  • 7 (121:57) **Segment 5: Executive Disorder - The Week's News** - Garrison Davis, James Stout, Robert Evans, and Prop discuss the week's events, starting with a catastrophic flood in the pool.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. 

  • Disarming Hamas 
  • Anarchists and the Great War with Andrew
  • The Hunt for Jason Arday
  • Civilization with Andrew
  • Executive Disorder: US Strikes Wedding in Iran, Mail-In Voting Whistleblower, Tupac Killer Convicted 

You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!

Sources/Links:

Disarming Hamas

Anarchists and the Great War with Andrew

The Hunt for Jason Arday

Civilization with Andrew

  • Against the Grain by James C. Scott
  • Civilized to Death by Christopher Ryan
  • Wild Thought by  Claude Lévi-Strauss
  • Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
  • The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan

Executive Disorder: US Strikes Wedding in Iran, Mail-In Voting Whistleblower, Tupac Killer Convicted