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Visiting speakers Avi Bell and Dr. Elaine Hagopian discussed Arab-Palestinian relations in an animated debate held before a full house at Rocky 2 last evening.
The discussion -- entitled "Violence Reaches New Levels: Where is the Crisis in Israel Headed?" -- featured presentations by each of the speakers, followed by a lengthy question and answer session.
Avi Bell, who is currently pursuing a doctorate in Juridical Science at Harvard Law School, was first to present his take on the current situation in the Middle East.
According to Bell, the source of the ongoing conflict can be traced to a lack of respect for the right of peoples to form, inhabit and administer countries of their own.
"Most Palestinians still do not recognize Israel's right to national self-determination," Bell said.
Bell drew on 4,000 years of history in tracing the development of the current conflict, mentioning the longstanding historical ties both Jews and Palestinians have to the Holy Land.
"We have here a land that is cherished by two very distinct peoples," he said, adding that while conflict between Arabs and Jews has long existed, questions of national identity, as represented by the Zionist Movement and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, are relatively more recent.
Bell described the PLO, which was founded in the 1960s, as an organization "originally dedicated to the armed destruction of Israel," which has since grown to recognize the possibilities for Palestinian nationhood without destroying the state of Israel.
With regard to recent events in Israel, Bell accused the PLO of perpetuating the current eight-month long Palestinian uprising through radio broadcasts and other means.
"There is no indication from the PLO that they are willing to end the violence," he said.
He also found fault with PLO leader Yasser Arafat, whom he claimed rejected recent Israeli peace proposals while offering no counter-proposal of his own.
In light of the refusal of Palestinians to compromise, Bell was not hopeful of any immediate resolution to the conflict.
"Today peace remains a very remote possibility," he said.
"I am hopeful that in the end we will be able to make a peace that accommodates both human rights and national rights."
Dr. Hagopian, who currently serves as professor emeritus of sociology at Simmons College in Boston, offered a contrasting perspective on the conflict.
"Israel has two faces," she began.
