In recent months demonstrations have taken place in Israel and across the globe to raise concerns about fundamental changes being made to Israel’s character by what many see as a more extreme government.
Those opposing the proposed "reforms" include senior finance, security, military and hi-tech leaders, all of Israel's former attorneys general, people drawn from Jewish, Arab, Religious, Progressive and Secular communities and those on the left, right and centre of Israeli politics.
Former Israeli Minister of Justice and Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Livni has been at the forefront of those protests, encouraging early on the “Many of you (who) risked your lives in the war for Israel's existence" to join "the fight for its soul.”
Join JW3, the Jewish News, and the partners in the Choose Democracy campaign for a conversation with Tzipi Livni and James Harding on the unprecedented challenges to the future of Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State.
Tzipi Livni is one of the most influential politicians in the Middle East. As Israeli foreign minister, she was the second woman to hold that post, and the first woman to have held eight cabinet posts. Tzipi Livni gained a reputation for her freedom-oriented peace policy.
Tzipi Livni was first elected to the Knesset in 1999 and has since held numerous ministerial and political positions including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, Minister of Regional Cooperation, Minister of Immigrant Absorption, Minister of Housing and Construction, Minister of Agriculture, Leader of the opposition, Leader of Center Party and leader of Hatnua Party.
Following the 2009 elections in which Livni's Kadima party won the most seats, but could not form a government, she took the party into opposition, becoming Israel's first female leader of the opposition.
After her retirement from politics in 2019 Livni has become a Fisher Family Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. She is a board member of the International Crisis Group as well as a member of The Aspen Ministers Forum.
James Harding is Editor and Co-Founder of Tortoise Media. The former Director of News and Current Affairs at the BBC, the world’s largest news organisation, James is a distinguished journalist who was the Editor of The Times of London for five years, during which the paper twice won the Newspaper of the Year award.
James was previously The Times’ Business Editor, having joined from The Financial Times, where he worked as Washington Bureau Chief, Media Editor and China correspondent opening the paper’s bureau in Shanghai in 1996. He is the author of “Alpha Dogs- The Americans Who Turned Political Spin Into A Global Business”, and has written for various magazines and journals. Amongst these are included The New Republic, The Economist, Slate, and The Washington Post. Besides the BBC, he has also appeared on numerous international and national television and radio networks.
