“Were Israel's Actions in the Gaza War Justified?” | Live Debate Set for NYC, 9/21 from Open to Debate

Eylon Levy, Former Spokesperson for Israel in the October 7th War, argues “YES”

Mehdi Hasan, Award-Winning Journalist and Al Jazeera host, argues “NO”

RSVP for Debate Location - Saturday, September 21st at 8pm ET in Manhattan

In the year since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the question of proportionality in response to October 7th has taken center stage. On Saturday, September 21st, the nonpartisan debate series and podcast Open to Debate will take on the question“Were Israel's Actions in the Gaza War Justified?,” live in-person in NYC.

Arguing “YES” is Eylon Levy, Former Spokesperson for Israel in the October 7th War; Co-Founder of the Israeli Citizen Spokespersons' Office; and Host of the “State of a Nation” Podcast. Arguing “NO” is Mehdi Hasan, Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and CEO of Zeteo; Host of Al Jazeera’s “Head to Head”; and Award-Winning Journalist. The debate will take place at 8pm on 9/21 in Midtown Manhattan - RSVP for exact venue information, which will not be posted publicly online prior to the event.

Since war broke out in the wake of the October 7th attacks, both Israel and Gaza have reported high death tolls. The risk of famine and disease is growing, over a hundred hostages of various nationalities remain in Gaza, and ceasefire proposals are ongoing with no end in sight. 

Those who support Israel's response argue that Israel has the right to defend itself like any country under attack; it needs to do all it can to bring the hostages home and prevent Hamas from posing any future threat. However, critics of Israel's response contend that it has led to a humanitarian crisis, failed to protect Palestinian civilians, and jeopardized long-term peace in the Middle East. 

With this critical background, Levy and Hasan will debate the question in front of an audience. Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan will moderate.

If you can attend the event, RSVP to Hannah Schwartz - hschwartz@shorefire.com. Read on for more information on both debaters, and Open to Debate.

“Were Israel's Actions in the Gaza War Justified” - 9/21, NYC

Arguing Yes: Eylon Levy | Former Spokesperson for Israel in the October 7th War; Co-Founder of the Israeli Citizen Spokespersons' Office; Host of the “State of a Nation” Podcast 

Eylon Levy is a co-founder of the Israeli Citizen Spokespersons’ Office and host of the State of a Nation podcast. He served as an Israeli Government Spokesman in the October 7 War with Hamas, becoming one of the leading voices for Israel. He previously served as the international media advisor for President Isaac Herzog after a career as a TV news anchor. Born and raised in the U.K., he studied at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge before making Aliyah and serving in the IDF.

Arguing No: Mehdi Hasan | Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and CEO of Zeteo; Host of Al Jazeera's “Head to Head”; Award-Winning Journalist 

Mehdi Hasan is an award-winning British-American political journalist, broadcaster, and best-selling author of “Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking”. In 2024, he founded the media company Zeteo, where he also hosts the show “Mehdi Unfiltered” and also became a regular columnist for The Guardian US. He was previously the host of “The Mehdi Hasan Show” on MSNBC and NBC’s streaming channel Peacock. Hasan is a former columnist and podcaster at The Intercept and a presenter on Al Jazeera English, and his op-eds have also appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post. 

About Open to Debate

Open to Debate addresses a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. We are the nation's only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. Open to Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. We know debate works to find common ground: On average, 32% of the Open to Debate audience changes their mind on contentious topics after hearing a debate. That’s the power of debate done right, and at scale, it can change the direction we’re headed in America. Open to Debate is broadcast as a weekly public radio program, carried on NPR stations including WNYC (#1 in the nation). Open to Debate is made available as a podcast, video series, and digital platform, and records episodes with live audiences nationwide. Visit opentodebate.org to become a member, access an archive of more than 220 debates, and attend live events.