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We’ve gathered leading international experts on Israel-Palestine to share their CHALLENGING, THOUGHTFUL and ESSENTIAL ideas about what has gone wrong and how to put it right. Speakers include Yuli Novak, Hanin Madjadli, Sir Mick Davis, Alon Liel, Caitlin Le Roith and Peter Beinart. Your ticket to the festival includes: An acclaimed documentary on Saturday night; ?Eight sessions on Sunday; ?A vegetarian lunch plus tea and coffee and snacks.

The event will be hosted at venues in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Choose your city:Saturday night, 26 July from 7.00pm to 10.00pm.Sunday 27 July from 9.00am to 6.00pm

Our Speakers Include:

Yuli Novak - Yuli Novak is an Israeli human rights activist. From 2012 to 2017, she was the executive director of Breaking the Silence – an organisation established by veterans of the Israeli Defence Force that documents the experiences and orders given to soldiers in the Occupied Territories in the spirit of the End Conscription Campaign in South Africa. Since 2023 she has led B’Tselem also known as the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories – one of the most important and internationally respected Jerusalem based-nonprofits aiming to document human rights violations in the Occupied Territories.

Hanin Majadli – Hanin Majadli is a Palestinian Israeli citizen, a journalist, publicist and editor at Haaretz, the premier progressive Israeli newspaper. In her work as an opinion columnist in Haaretz she focuses on engaging with the Arab-Palestinian communities in Israel, the fragile relationship between them and the State and its Jewish citizens. She pays particular attention to the history of the Nakba. In her work as Haaretz Arabic edition’s editor, she aims to expand the exposure of alternative Israeli voices and their journalistic work that is unusual and different from the Israeli mainstream.

Sir Mick Davis - The South Africa-born international business executive, philanthropist and former CEO of the British Conservative Party has over many years advocated that Diaspora Jews have a legitimate stake in the resilience of Israel, the nation state of the Jewish People, as a liberal democracy pursuing fairness for all of its citizens and seeking a secure peace with its neighbours. He believes this agency must be used not only in advocating for its legitimacy but also to hold its leadership to account when they deviate from the foundational values of liberal democracy, greater fairness and the secure peace of the Declaration of Independence. He set up, with Mike Prashker, the London Initiative, a global network of philanthropists, civil society leaders and activists to normalise the debate of these values and create an environment for them to be actioned. He believes that a peaceful settlement of the conflict with the Palestinian people is fundamental.

Peter Beinart - Peter Beinart is Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York. He is also a Contributing Opinion Writer at The New York Times, an MSNBC Political Commentator, Editor-at-Large of Jewish Currents and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. In his new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, he appeals to his fellow Jews to grapple with the morality of their defense of Israel. Beinart has written for the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Boston Globe, the Atlantic, Newsweek, Slate, Reader’s Digest, Die Zeit, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and Polity: the Journal of the Northeastern Political Science Studies Association.

Alon Liel - Dr Alon Liel is the former director general of the Foreign Ministry of Israel and was also Israel’s ambassador to South Africa. He is one of the instigators of an Israeli campaign to advance recognition of a Palestinian state by European parliaments and governments. He is a member of the boards of Several NGO’s focused on promoting civil and human rights in Israel-Palestine.

Caitlin Le Roith - Caitlin Le Roith is a dynamic legal professional and educator. She is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa, and currently lectures at Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town. While her academic work primarily focuses on issues of law and justice within South Africa, Caitlin has researched and written on various aspects relating to international law and its potential to hold Israel accountable for the rights violations it commits. Outside of the halls of academia, Caitlin is an activist and public speaker. She is motivated in both her academic and activist work to challenge hegemonic narratives and critically examine the structures that maintain the unjust status quo.

JDI 2025

The event has been organised by the Jewish Democratic Initiative, which campaigns for democracy within Israel-Palestine and a negotiated settlement to the conflict based upon justice and egalitarian principles for all.

Full Price Tickets are R360. For those unable to pay the full price we have concession tickets available for R180. We want to encourage everyone, regardless of financial status to attend so if the concession price is too high please email info@jdisa.org so we can arrange tickets.