Jerusalem Talks 4

Israel is heading towards early elections this March. Much of the public discourse is focused on the question as to whether the elections will bring about a political change in Israel. The next round of the Jerusalem Talks will discuss the prospective for a turning point in Israeli politics. 

The political struggle between the Zionist Camp and Netanyahu revolves around the question of what Zionism stands for: An open democratic society for all its citizens or a national-religious Jewish state? One crucial aspect of the future of Israeli democracy is the political impact of its Arab citizens: The Arab parties decision to run on a joint list has stirred up a debate on their role in a new Israeli government. While No party has yet come forward with a clear agenda on how to deal with the conflict, recent polls indicate that many Israelis believe that a true and lasting peace is attainable in the near future.
Much of the approach of the Israeli public towards the elections will depend on the ability of the political leaders to address their political and social needs. Can the election outcome therefore be understood as a referendum on the security focused political steadfastness of Prime Minister Netanyahu? Will the promise of a real socio-economic change promoted by the Zionist Camp turn out to be a game changer? In what way does the increasing international isolation of Israel influences the voter?

Speakers:
Ruth Dayan, Social activist

Naomi Chazan, Former MK (Meretz) and Dean of the School for Government and Society,  Tel Aviv –Jaffa  Academic College

Nathan Sharony, Retired army general, Head of the Council for Peace and Security
Jafar Farah, Director of the Mossawa Center, Haifa

Torsten Teichmann, Correspondent, ARD (German National Radio) 

Moderation:
Peter Kapern, Deutschlandfunk (German National Radio)

Monday, March 2, 2015

18:30, Reception

19:00-21:00, Panel discussion

The Jerusalem Cinematheque, 11 Hebron Rd., Jerusalem