The Doha Debates
I sometimes watch the "Doha Debates" on BBC TV, mediated by Tim Sebastian (who used to do the "Hard Talk" interviews). These debates are advertized as a unique free opinion forum in Qatar. They are paid for by the Qatar Foundation, and while they are usually skewed towards the Arab world (most of the speakers on both sides of any motion are Arabs), nevertheless they do represent an attempt to introduce free exchange of opinions in the Arab world.
For example, one of their interviewees was Pres. Shimon Peres of Israel, who answered questions openly and was quite successful in deflecting unbalanced criticism of Israel. Another has been Desmond Tutu of S. Africa, Pres. Bill Clinton, and so on. The Oxford Union debate that received much negative publicity recently, in which there were anti-Israel speakers on both sides of a debate about "This house believes that the pro-Israel lobby has successfully stifled debate about Israel's actions," and was passed by a two thirds majority, was sponsored by the Doha Debates. In many cases the issue that is debated is of current interest in the Arab world.
The issue debated this week was, "This house believes that the Palestinians are in danger of becoming their own worst enemy," i.e. in place of Israel. There were speakers from the US, France and the PA, all Palestinians. Although the speakers against the motion acknowledged excessive corruption in the PA, especially under Arafat, and extensive human rights abuses, they blamed Israel for all the Palestinian's ills. There were other speakers in favor of the motion who were even more critical, especially of the split between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. One person asked for examples where a people had managed to organize themselves into a state under very difficult circumstances, and one of the opponents of the motion gave Bosnia and Vietnam as examples.
Then an Arab dressed in typical Arab garb got up and gave Israel as an example, he said that the Jews managed to organize themselves from nothing (in the Zionist movement) before they had a state, and instead of complaining about it, they got on with it and did not depend on international handouts, and were successful. Several of the speakers agreed with him, that the Palestinians would do well to follow Israel's example.
I thought this was astonishing to see Israel lionized before a completely Arab audience. That does not mean that they love Israel. But, the motion passed with a 70% majority, so most Arabs, if the audience was representative of the Arab world, see the divisions within the Palestinians and their inability to organize a civil society, as their greatest problem, greater than Israel itself. Maybe there is some hope after all.
To see more details go to www.thedohadebates.com
Meanwhile, our intrepid FM Tzipi Livni is on her way to Qatar for a conference on economic issues, where she will be a featured speaker!
For example, one of their interviewees was Pres. Shimon Peres of Israel, who answered questions openly and was quite successful in deflecting unbalanced criticism of Israel. Another has been Desmond Tutu of S. Africa, Pres. Bill Clinton, and so on. The Oxford Union debate that received much negative publicity recently, in which there were anti-Israel speakers on both sides of a debate about "This house believes that the pro-Israel lobby has successfully stifled debate about Israel's actions," and was passed by a two thirds majority, was sponsored by the Doha Debates. In many cases the issue that is debated is of current interest in the Arab world.
The issue debated this week was, "This house believes that the Palestinians are in danger of becoming their own worst enemy," i.e. in place of Israel. There were speakers from the US, France and the PA, all Palestinians. Although the speakers against the motion acknowledged excessive corruption in the PA, especially under Arafat, and extensive human rights abuses, they blamed Israel for all the Palestinian's ills. There were other speakers in favor of the motion who were even more critical, especially of the split between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. One person asked for examples where a people had managed to organize themselves into a state under very difficult circumstances, and one of the opponents of the motion gave Bosnia and Vietnam as examples.
Then an Arab dressed in typical Arab garb got up and gave Israel as an example, he said that the Jews managed to organize themselves from nothing (in the Zionist movement) before they had a state, and instead of complaining about it, they got on with it and did not depend on international handouts, and were successful. Several of the speakers agreed with him, that the Palestinians would do well to follow Israel's example.
I thought this was astonishing to see Israel lionized before a completely Arab audience. That does not mean that they love Israel. But, the motion passed with a 70% majority, so most Arabs, if the audience was representative of the Arab world, see the divisions within the Palestinians and their inability to organize a civil society, as their greatest problem, greater than Israel itself. Maybe there is some hope after all.
To see more details go to www.thedohadebates.com
Meanwhile, our intrepid FM Tzipi Livni is on her way to Qatar for a conference on economic issues, where she will be a featured speaker!
posted by Jack Cohen at 9:01 PM
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