Debating Zionists is an issue some of us may struggle with. Lately, many show hosts and event organizers like to have Zionists face off against people who speak for justice and liberation for Palestine, so there is a constant barrage of requests to debate them. Whether or not to debate Zionists is in and of itself a contested topic within the Palestine movement. On one hand, debating Zionists can elevate their arguments and give legitimacy to people who deny the Palestinian genocide, or worse, support and justify it. On the other hand, debates provide a platform for people who are unsure about how to answer Zionist arguments and wish to learn.
In early 2024, an invitation for me to participate in an Oxford Union debate arrived, and although it wasn’t clear who was going to be on the Zionist side, I accepted immediately. The proposition to be debated was “Israel in an apartheid state engaged in genocide.” The fact the Oxford Union was initiating a debate on this issue already signified an important step of historic proportions. Oxford and Cambridge Union debates often go on to become historic records, featuring the likes of James Baldwin and Malcolm X, to name but two. These speeches and debates, dependent on how popular or controversial, can live on for others to hear for eternity…..more
