Two States or One State? Public debate

Two States or One State?- Public debate between Uri Avnery and Ilan Pappe

On Tuesday, May 8, two outspoken Israelis will debate over the solution to end the Israel-Palestinian impasse. This public debate: "Two States or One State?" will be between former KM Uri Avnery and Dr. Ilan Pappe.

Both Pappe and Avnery have recently spoken at the Bil'in Annual International Conference on Non-violence Resistance. Pappe will be debating for the One State solution and Avnery for the Two State.

Pappe has recently stated, "The facts on the ground are crystal clear: the two states' solution has dismally failed and we have no spare time to waste in a futile anticipation of another illusory round of diplomatic efforts that would lead to nowhere...For the sake of peace, it is important to expand our research on the South African model and other historical case studies. Because of our failure, we should study carefully any other successful struggle against oppression."

Avnery wrote in a piece entitled "The Bed of Sodom:" "Statistically, the Israeli Jews constitute, as of now, the absolute majority between the sea and the river...They would, of course, use this power to consolidate their dominance and prevent the return of refugees...Thus the South African example could come true retroactively: in the Single State, an apartheid-like regime would indeed come into being. Not only would the Israeli-Palestinian conflict not be solved, but on the contrary, it would move into an even more dangerous phase."

In 2006, Pappe wrote The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and in 2007, Pappé left the University of Haifa, claiming that he found it "increasingly difficult to live in Israel" with his "unwelcome views and convictions."

At the age of 15, Anvery joined the Revisionist Zionist paramilitary group, the Irgun. He later turned to left-wing activism and founded the Gush Shalom movement in 1993, which he continues to lead as of 2007. He is a devout secularist and strongly opposed to the Orthodox influence in religious and political life.

The debate will be moderated by Prof. Zalman Amit.

ENDS

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