Arguing for the motion was award winning journalist, best-selling author, and former Munk Debater Douglas Murray. His debate partner was Natasha Hausdorff. She’s an attorney, international law expert, and legal director for the UK Lawyer for Israel Charitable Trust.

Opposing the resolution was Mehdi Hasan. Mehdi is a best-selling author, former MSNBC anchor, and the CEO and editor-in-chief of the new media company Zeteo. He was joined on stage by the award winning Israeli journalist and Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy.

As with all our live Munk Debates, the audience voted on this resolution prior to hearing the debate. Initially, 61% of attendees were in favour of the debate motion, and 39% were opposed.

We did another poll after the debate to find out how many people had changed their minds once they listened to arguments from both sides.

The full 90 minute debate is available exclusively to Munk Donors. Find out how to become a Munk Donor here.

“Who would you trust to protect the Jews? The Europeans? The Arab world? No, history shows only one people protect the Jewish people. The Jewish people. That’s what Zionism is.”
-Douglas Murray

“Why, when it comes to the Jews, would you let the anti-Zionists define anti-Zionism? No minority should have its identity dictated to it.”
-Natasha Hausdorff

“This motion is about whether the rest of us have the right, the freedom, to take a different view on Israel, on Zionism, without being told we are racists.”
-Mehdi Hasan

“I was a Zionist until I realized that Zionism means national supremacy of one people over the other.”
-Gideon Levy