Intelligence Squared US: Should the U.N. Recognize a Palestinian State?

Pictured: John Donvan

Credit: http://intelligencesquaredus.org/

After 20 years of failed talks with Israel, can this plea to the international community be the only path left to a two-state solution, or have the Palestinians set the peace process back by bypassing negotiations? 

The debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US) presents former Palestinian presidential candidate, Mustafa Barghouthi and Israeli peace negotiator, Daniel Levy speaking for the motion, with former foreign policy adviser to PM Netanyahu and Israeli ambassador to the U.N, Dore Gold and U.S. Mideast negotiator and adviser to six Secretaries of State, Aaron David Miller speaking against the motion. Moderated by John Donvan, the debate, Should the U.N. Recognize a Palestinian State?, airs Sunday, March 18 at 9 p.m. on AM 1370/FM-HD 91.5-2.

Recently in the U.S., it seems as if partisan rancor has replaced reasoned debate; mainstream media has become contentious and ideological; and discussions of important issues are being dominated by emotion than by facts and analysis. The debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US) attempts to change this trend and raise the level of public discourse on the key issues of our day.
 
Modeled on the British program Intelligence Squared, IQ2US is an Oxford-style debate that is provocative, intellectually rich, humorous, and dramatic. For each debate a motion is proposed. Then, two panelists argue for the motion and two argue against it, with a moderator controlling the proceedings. After the formal arguments, the debate is thrown open to the floor for questions, triggering a lively interchange among the speakers and audience members. Each side attempts to persuade the audience to vote their way. This adversarial context is electric, adding drama and excitement to the proceedings. The live audience will vote on the motion both before and after hearing the arguments, so there is a clear measure of how far people have actually been swayed. Those votes are tallied during the evening and announced at the end with a clear side winning.