Debaters arguing that the pro-Israel lobby stifles debate won a debate at the Oxford Union. The proposal, “This House believes the pro-Israeli lobby has successfully stifled Western debate about Israel’s actions,” was affirmed in a vote by the two-century-old debating society at Oxford Union in a May 1 debate. Norman Finkelstein, an academic at DePaul University in Chicago who is a strident Israel critic; and Andrew Cockburn, a Marxist theorist who has called for Israel’s dissolution, argued in the affirmative. Martin Indyk, a onetime pro-Israel lobbyist and former U.S. ambassador to Israel who now heads the Saban Institute, a Washington think tank that has criticized some Israeli policies; and British columnist David Aaronovitch argued against.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
