This event, which was the first of four “Bronfman Debates on the Future of Israel @ the Munk School,” focused on the two-state solution and one of its alternatives, an Israeli-Palestinian Confederation. With the “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict rapidly becoming more difficult, if not impossible, there is a growing urgency and need to think outside the box about how to bring about peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. An Israeli-Palestinian Confederation is one of the most innovative alternatives to a two-state solution today. The debate concentrated on the pluses and minuses and viability of an Israeli-Palestinian confederation versus a two-state solution.
Yossi Beilin is the head of the steering committee of the Geneva initiative. In his private life he is a president of a business consultancy in Tel Aviv, “Beilink”. In the context of the Israeli- Palestinian relations, Beilin initiated the Oslo Process in 1992, the “Beilin-Abu Mazen agreement” in (1993-1995), and the Geneva Initiative (2001-2003). In the context of the Jewish world, Beilin initiated the Taglit-Birthright project. Beilin was Israeli Justice minister, and served as deputy minister and as a minister in four governments in Israel between 1988-2001. He was elected to the Knesset in 1988, and resigned 20 years later. For many years he represented the Labour Party. In 2003 he moved to the Meretz Party, and was its leader between 2004-2008. Before joining politics, Beilin taught political science in Tel Aviv, and was a journalist.
Peter Beinart is Associate Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York. He is also a Contributor to The Atlantic and National Journal, a Senior Columnist at Haaretz, a CNN Political Commentator, and a Senior Fellow at The New America Foundation. Beinart graduated from Yale University, winning a Rhodes scholarship for graduate study at Oxford University. After graduating from University College, Oxford, Beinart became The New Republic’s managing editor in 1995. He became senior editor in 1997, and from 1999 to 2006 served as the magazine’s Editor.
Mira Sucharov is Associate Professor of Political Science at Carleton University, where she specializes in Israeli-Palestinian relations and Jewish affairs. She is the author of The International Self: Psychoanalysis and the Search for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, is a three-time teaching award winner, and is a recipient of a Simon Rockower Award for Excellence in Jewish Journalism. In addition to being a regular columnist at Haaretz and the Canadian Jewish News, Mira writes widely; her pieces have also appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Jewish Daily Forward, The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, NOW Toronto, and The Walrus. She is currently the Israel analyst for Freedom House’s Freedom in the World Report.
Thursday, 28 January 2016 – 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Vivian and David Campbell Conference Facility
Munk School of Global Affairs
1 Devonshire Place, Toronto
Register: http://munkschool.utoronto.ca/event/19625/
For more information: sylvia.adler@utoronto.ca