Rising tensions between Israel and Hamas have come to a head this week with a dramatic eruption of conflict along the Gaza strip, making a debate we held back in 2006, less than a year after Hamas won a majority vote in the Palestinian parliament, all the more relevant today. The motion being debated that night was: Is A Democratically Elected Hamas Still A Terrorist Organization. The debate, held in front of a live audience in New York City, lasted well over an hour. We’ve culled a sample from each teams’ opening statements to give you a sense of their core arguments.

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Retrospective On Hamas And Israel

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Open to Debate Episodes Around July 11, 2014

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#96 - Does Income Inequality Impair The American Dream?

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#99 - Is Amazon The Reader's Friend?

Tribute To David Carr

#100 - Should The World Bet On America?

#101 - Are Liberals Stifling Intellectual Diversity?

#102 - Should The U.S. Adopt The Right To Be Forgotten Online?

#103 - Has The President Exceeded His Authority By Waging War Without Congress?

#104 - Should We Abolish the Death Penalty?

#105 - Is Smart Technology Making Us Dumb?

Summary