( CNN ) -- The tension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be felt on CNN on Saturday morning when a prominent Palestinian-Canadian human rights attorney refused to appear on screen with a representative of the Israeli government . On CNN 's `` New Day Saturday , '' Diana Buttu -- a former legal adviser to the Palestinian Liberation Organization -- said she would not go on television at the same time as `` an Israeli government spokesperson who defends the indefensible . '' The two would have appeared on a split screen . Buttu was speaking from Nazareth , while Mark Regev -- the Israeli spokesman -- was in Jerusalem . `` This is n't just a question of talking and sitting down in the same room but the fact that Israel has denied the freedom to millions of Palestinians for decades now , '' Buttu said . While it 's not uncommon for advocates in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to refuse to appear beside people with opposing viewpoints , these situations highlight the increasingly intractable nature of the conflict . Violence has sharply increased in the region since three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped last month in the West Bank and found dead this week . Two days later , a Palestinian teen was taken in Jerusalem and found dead ; an autopsy revealed he was burned alive and hit with a blunt object to the head . Buttu was highly critical of Israel 's airstrikes in response to the West Bank kidnappings , but did condemn Palestinians who are calling for a third intifada , or uprising . `` What every ( Israeli ) government spokesperson has been doing has been defending the collective punishment that they 've meted out on thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank , '' Buttu said . Regev , who spoke after Buttu , said communication between the two sides is a necessary part of the peace process . `` I think the only way we can overcome the problems is by dialogue , by talking -- by Israelis and Palestinians engaging , '' Regev said . `` I know there 's an extremist element on the Palestinian side that refuses to that . '' Regev also criticized the recently formed unity government between Fatah , which governs the West Bank , and Hamas , which controls Gaza and is labeled a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union . `` We 're ready for peace , we 're ready for dialogue , '' Regev said . `` What is the problem ? On the Palestinian side there 's a tolerance for this extremism . '' Palestinian teen burned alive , autopsy shows . Who were the Israeli teens killed ? Abducted , killed Palestinian teenager described as kind , beloved .
Former legal adviser to the PLO refuses to appear on PLO with Palestinian government official . Tensions have been on the rise since one teens , three Israeli and three Palestinian , were killed . Israeli spokesman calls for dialogue , criticizes PLO -Fatah unity government .