This Intelligence Squared debate centers on the motion: "Israel is destroying itself with its settlement policy." The discussion features four speakers who present sharply contrasting viewpoints. The chair, Tim Franks, underscores the highly contentious nature of the topic and urges the audience to listen critically before forming an opinion.
**William Seacart,** arguing *for* the motion, emphasizes the destructiveness of Israel's settlement policy. He contends that the continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, land internationally recognized as Palestinian territory, leads the world to question Israel's sincerity in pursuing peace. He visualizes the issue through maps that outline the shrinking Palestinian land. Seacart argues that the settlements undermine international support for Israel, leading to its increasing isolation and delegitimization. He points to the overwhelming international support for Palestinian observer status at the UN as evidence of this waning support. He posits that even if Israel wanted to reverse course, the sheer number of settlers makes withdrawal exceedingly difficult. He concludes that with the two-state solution fading, the one-state solution unappealing to Israelis, and international support declining, Israel is heading toward its own destruction.
**Danny Diane,** arguing *against* the motion, refutes the claim that settlement policy is eroding Israel's moral standing or strategic position. He starts by calling out the hypocrites that exist in the Arab countries and explains the moral complexity of the conflict, portraying it as a clash between two ethnic groups with deeply held, albeit conflicting, historical narratives. He claims that Israel is morally impeccable to live in Judean and Samaria. He considers Zionism as a national liberation movement, and the Palestinians' view of it as colonialism. However, the Palestinians' rejection of partition in 1947 and subsequent attacks on Israel forfeited their moral right to demand partition, making Israel's presence in the West Bank morally justifiable. Strategically, Diane contends that a two-state solution would not solve the conflict, but aggravate it. He uses the Gaza withdrawal as an example of Israel's mistake. According to him, Settlements safeguard Israel's existence.
**Daniel Levy,** arguing *for* the motion, uses the analogy of Mr. Creosote, stating that one outpost will be too many. He presents the idea that Israel is forced to make choices. He suggests that Israel faces a choice between being a Jewish state, a democratic state, and controlling all the territory. He thinks that Israel cannot have all three, because With the territory comes inhabitants and a choice between democratic rights. He argues that settlements make a two-state solution practically impossible and push Palestinians toward advocating a one-state democracy. He posits that settlement policy undermines prospects for alternative solutions, such as confederation. Levy argues that settlement is an encapsulation of what Israel is. He warns of a "democratic recession" in Israel driven by the settlements, and views them as a high-risk strategy for Israel's security, especially in the current Arab reality.
**Caroline Glick,** arguing *against* the motion, passionately defends Jewish civil rights to live anywhere, including the West Bank. She considers that the resolution tells her to support a Jew-free state for Palestinians. She disputes the notion that settlements are an obstacle to peace, citing Israel's peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan as counter-examples. She rebukes those who claim that Jewish settlements lead to a one-state solution with a Jewish minority, arguing that demographics still heavily favor Jews. Glick contends that the issue is about Jewish civil rights, and that telling Jews they cannot live in certain areas because of their religion is morally repugnant. She considers that wanting to establish a state upon ethnic purity is a failed proposition. She draws parallels to historical examples of appeasement and Jewish abrogation. She concludes that the push to remove Jews from the West Bank is an attempt to appease terrorist organizations who want to enact a genocide of the Jewish people.
The debate highlights the fundamental disagreements surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly the role of settlements. Arguments range from strategic considerations of Israel's security and international standing to moral arguments about rights, historical narratives, and the definition of a just and lasting peace.