This House believes the pro-Israeli lobby has successfully stifled Western debate about Israel's actions
Tuesday May 01 2007
Oxford Union Society, Oxford, UK
MOTION PASSED
by 66% to 34%
Details
The Doha Debates were invited by the Oxford Union to stage an event on May 1st, 2007 in their debating chamber at Oxford University in the UK.
The Oxford Union is one of the most famous debating societies in the world where past guest speakers have included Richard Nixon, Malcolm X, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama and Yasser Arafat amongst others. Its stated aims are 'to promote debate and discussion, not just in Oxford University but across the globe' and as the Doha Debates are modeled on the Oxford Union debates, it was a fitting location for the first ever Doha Debate to be held outside Qatar.
A group of 15 students and recent graduates from high schools and universities in Doha traveled to the United Kingdom for the event. They joined students from Oxford in the audience to question the speakers. The Doha students also attended a series of educational and cultural events including debating skill workshops held by the Oxford Union members.
The motion debated was: 'This House believes the pro-Israeli lobby has successfully stifled Western debate about Israel's actions' and it was passed by two-thirds of the audience.
The Debate took place amid mounting controversy over the role of the pro-Israel lobby in the United States and accusations that it has suppressed criticism of Israel - a charge that the lobby vigorously denies.
Norman Finkelstein, an American academic and a leading critic of Israeli policies, argued in favour of the motion claiming that the pro-Israel lobby sows confusion to avoid being held to account. The journalist and writer Andrew Cockburn also supported this view, claiming there are 'red lines' in discussing Israel that no politician or journalist in the US would dare cross for fear of being demonised or driven out of public life.
Dr. Martin Indyk, former US Ambassador to Israel and Director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, argued strongly against the motion, saying that the recent 'firestorms' around President Carter's book and the Walt and Mearsheimer report on the Israel lobby are proof of a lively debate on the subject . His fellow panellist David Aaronovitch, the British journalist and broadcaster, dismissed accusations of conspiracy around the lobby and said that there simply isn't a lobby in the UK in the same way that there is in the United States.
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