Date: Thursday, 21st May 2020
Time: 3PM MYT | 7AM GMT
Register link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/webinar-reflections-on-recent-developments-in-the-israel-palestine-conflic-tickets-105686938478
*The Zoom link for the Webinar will be sent to your email on Thursday, 21st May at 10 AM.
At the crux of the Israel-Palestine conflict is the dispossession of the Palestinians and their yearning for the restoration of a viable, independent state of their own. Israel and the Zionist movement backed by the elites in the United States of America, a number of European countries and other states have ensured that this legitimate Palestinian aspiration will never become a reality. The creation of the state of Israel in 1948 in violation of domestic norms of governance and international law on Arab Palestinian land was a major setback to the indigenous Palestinian people. Israel continued to expand its territory culminating in the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the remaining 22 % of original Palestine in 1967.
Recent developments have further strengthened the Israeli grip over Palestine. US recognition of annexed Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel and the proposed grab of the choicest sites in the West Bank, coupled with the periodic pulverization of Gaza have rendered the idea of a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza a sick joke. If anything ‘the deal of the century’ engineered by Trump and Kushner on the one hand and Benyamin Netanyahu on the other which not only negates the basis of a viable Palestinian state but also denies seven million Palestinians their right of return to their homeland is the final nail in the coffin of the so-called two-state solution.
Does the demise of the two-state solution mean that there will no State for the Palestinians? Or will it accelerate the impetus for the establishment of a single state — a constitutional, democratic state which is multi-religious and multi-cultural, a state which will provide iron-clad guarantees for the rights of everyone, Arabs and non-Arabs, Muslims, Christians, and Jews? The concept of one state has been talked about for a long while. A handful of Jews, Christians, and Muslims have always supported the idea. Some of them see it as the truest reflection of the universal character of historic Jerusalem. It has gained some traction in recent years through the BDS movement. Palestinian resistance to Israeli dominance and aggression may also help the one-state solution to grow.
Perhaps the time has come for all those who are committed to the Palestinian cause to also campaign for a single, united-state —- as the ultimate embodiment of a just, compassionate, peaceful world.
Program
300-310PM: Introduction by the Moderator, Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Farouk Musa
310-325PM: Presentation by Dr. Peter Slezak
325-340PM: Presentation by Prof Mohd Roslan Mohd Noor
340-355PM: Presentation by Prof Nazari Ismail
355-410PM: Presentation by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar
410-455PM: Discussion
455-500PM: Concluding remarks
About the Speakers
Dr. Peter Slezak is an Associate Professor of Philosophy in the School of Humanities & Languages at the University of New South Wales. His BA (Hons) is from the University of New South Wales, and his MPhil and Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University, New York. His research and teaching are in the areas of philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, and Descartes. He has also published widely on science education and the sociology of science. He publishes occasional opinion pieces in the mainstream media and appears regularly in public lectures and debates on issues concerning science, education, politics, and religion, particularly concerning Israel/Palestine. He is co-founder of Independent Australian Jewish Voices (IAJV) and Executive Member of Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and Executive Member of Palestine Support Network Australia (PSNA BDS-Aus).
Dr. Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor is a Professor at the Dept of Islamic History and Civilization, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Currently, he is the head of the department for a second time, starting from April 2020. He was the Deputy Director (Research & Development) at the Academy of Islamic Studies from 1 July 2012 to 20 January 2019. Prior to that, he served as the head of the department from 2009-2012. Dr.Roslan’s broad academic interests involve Islamicjerusalem Studies, the Middle East, Islam and multi-culturalism, Muslim affairs, religious studies, and civilization. He has published several academic articles in international refereed journals He was a recipient of the 2018 MAPIM-KPT (then Ministry of Higher Education) award for a book published in the Social Sciences category. He also received a prestigious award Anugerah Akademik Negara (AAN) 2018 for book category. The book which he received the award entitled: The Significance of Islamicjerusalem in Islam, published in 2017 by Univ of Malaya Press. His latest book has been published recently by UM Press in 2020 entitled: Konflik Gaza dan Misi Kemanusiaan Freedom Flotilla (Gaza Conflict and Humanitarian Mission of Freedom Flotilla).
Dr. Mohd Nazari Ismail is a professor at the Faculty of Business and Accounting, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, and a former Dean of the Faculty until Jun 2015. He has published numerous articles in local and international journals and has also authored five books. He has also consulted as well as provided training programs to a number of public and private sector organizations including The Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia, Proton, Matsushita, The Royal Malaysian Police, and the Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. He was the 1999 Fulbright Foundation Malaysian Scholar at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, and also the Fulbright Visiting Specialist at Pfeiffer University, North Carolina, the USA in 2005. In June 2005, he was a visiting fellow at Oxford Center for Islamic Studies, Oxford, United Kingdom. Prof. Mohd Nazari Ismail obtained his B.Sc. Economics (Hon.) from the University of Wales, U. Kingdom, followed by an MBA from the State University of New York, USA, and a Ph.D. from the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Dr. Chandra Muzaffar is the President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), an international NGO based in Malaysia, which seeks to critique global injustice and to develop an alternative vision of a just and compassionate civilization guided by universal spiritual and moral values. He has published extensively on civilizational dialogue, international politics, religion, human rights, and Malaysian society. The author and editor of 32 books in English and Malay, many of his writings have been translated into other languages. Among Chandra’s latest publications are, A World in Crisis: Is There a Cure? and Reflections on Malaysian Unity and Other Challenges. In l977, he founded a multi-ethnic social reform group called Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN) which he led for 14 years. Today, apart from his role in JUST, Chandra sits on the board of a number of international NGOs concerned with social justice and civilizational dialogue. Chandra was Professor and Director of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya (1997-1999), and Professor of Global Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia (2007- 2012). He travels abroad frequently, giving lectures and speaking at seminars and conferences. He is also a regular speaker at meetings at home in Malaysia. Chandra is the recipient of a number of international awards related to his scholarship and social activism and he is married to Mariam Mohd Hashim and they have two daughters.
Co-organized by: Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia, Asia West-East Center, Palestinian Centre for Excellence, Al-Quds Foundation Malaysia, Islamic Renaissance Front, International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Humanitarian Care Malaysia, BDS Malaysia, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rakyat Sejagat & Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organizations (MAPIM)
