Yes or no to this statement, the UN should admit Palestine as a full member state.

It is a statement that divides us, but it's one that is worthy of fair and open debate,

and that's what this is.

Another debate from Intelligent Squared U.S.

I'm John Donovan.

Welcome.

We have two teams for superbly qualified debaters, all of whom have lived at the heart of this

argument.

It's an argument that, let's face it in our lifetime, has seemed to be rather permanent.

The way that the Berlin Wall wants seemed permanent, but turned out not to be, or apartheid

in South Africa seemed permanent, but turned out not to be.

But Israel and Palestine, this is the one that seems never to end.

And why is that?

Well, nothing helps expose the fault lines like a good debate, and debaters who are trying

to make you understand their point of view and maybe get you to see something the way

that you have never seen it before.

Our motion is the UN should admit Palestine as a full member state.

And to meet our debaters, Mustafa Bargutti, you are a Palestinian, a former presidential

candidate in the Palestinian Authority.

You are a noble peace prize nominee, because you lead a party that is adamantly devoted

to peaceful resistance to the Israeli occupation, and just very briefly, before we get started,

what do you think is the point in this debate that your opponents don't understand yet that

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