Product Description

The Case for Israel is an ardent defense of Israel′s rights, supported by indisputable evidence.

• Presents a passionate look at what Israel′s accusers and detractors are saying about this war–torn country.
• Dershowitz accuses those who attack Israel of international bigotry and backs up his argument with hard facts.
• Widely respected as a civil libertarian, legal educator, and defense attorney extraordinaire, Alan Dershowitz has also been a passionate though not uncritical supporter of Israel.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #97331 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 265 pages

Review
Noting that he has been working on versions of these arguments since 1967, famed Harvard law professor Dershowitz offers "a proactive defense of Israel," a kind of amicus brief to "the court of public opinion." Not least among the exhibits are a WWII–era Muslim Palestinian leader who was "a full fledged Nazi war criminal, and he was so declared at Nuremberg"; a "vastly under populated" late 19th–century Palestine, to which European Jews began emigrating; and a 75–year–long Arab–Israel war that features "Arab nations dedicated to genocidal aggression against civilians." Each of the 32 chapters begins with a commonly heard accusation against Israel, with long quotes from reputable "Accusers" (including newspapers and intellectuals), followed by "The Reality" as Dershowitz sees it, and "The Proof," often drawing on the historical record. With a 150,000 first printing, a $150,000 marketing budget, a Today Show appearance on September 4 and an author tour, expect lots of discussion. (Sept. 2) (Publishers Weekly, August 4, 2003)

"...I recommend even more strongly [then The New Anti Semitism and A New Anti Semitism?] the handbook The Case for Israel..." (Sunday Telegraph, 5 October 2003)

"Dershowitz is especially effective at pointing to the hypocrisy of many of Israel′s critics." (The New York Times – Book Review, November 9th, 2003)

"...It should be read by all who seek to be genuinely informed on the Middle East conflict..." (The Jewish Chronicle, 9 January 2004)

From the Inside Flap
Even as Israel boldly offers statehood to Palestinians in exchange for an enduring peace, many academics and activists–primarily but not exclusively from the hard left–have gone on the attack against Israel, deriding it as an imperialist power bent on oppressing the Palestinians. On prominent campuses across the United States and throughout the world, petitions circulate asking universities to divest holdings in Israel and to boycott Israeli Jews without regard to their individual views. Virulent opponents of Israel have accused that democracy of unspeakable human rights abuses, while many who believe otherwise remain silent. Now, in this impassioned and closely argued book, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz sets the record straight and explains why Israel, while not perfect, is in fact the sole outpost of liberty and democracy in the Middle East–a country that has earned the right to exist within secure boundaries and defend itself.

Drawing on scrupulous, unbiased research and his peerless skills as an advocate, Dershowitz conclusively refutes thirty–two separate slurs, slanders, and misrepresentations that have been hurled at Israel in recent years, including:

• Israel is a colonial, imperialist state
• The Jews have always rejected the two–state solution
• The Jews have exploited the Holocaust
• Israel’s victimization of the Palestinians has been the primary cause of the Arab–Israeli conflict
• Israel created the Arab refugee problem
• Israel tortures Palestinians
• Israel’s targeted assassinations of terrorist leaders are unlawful
• Israel is the "prime" human rights violator in the world
• Universities should divest from Israel and boycott Israeli scholars

In demolishing these charges, Dershowitz documents how Israel was founded with the blessing of the United Nations–and how it was Arabs, not Israelis, who initiated the

cycle of violence that still persists today. He proves that the division of Palestine between Israel and the Palestinians has long been accepted by Israel and rejected by most Arabs. He demonstrates why Israeli actions in the West Bank and Gaza are not motivated by territorial ambitions, but by the very real sense that Israel is under attack. And he shows how critics of Israel gloss over the terrorism, human rights abuses, and antidemocratic ideologies of other regimes in the region, substituting bigotry and veiled anti–Semitism for objective analysis. Well reasoned, hard–hitting, and provocative, The Case for Israel is essential reading for anyone who cares about Israel and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

From the Back Cover
"Overwhelming . . . a must–read for American Jews, particularly those on college campuses who have no inkling of how to counter the massive verbal assault on Israel. . . . A profound contribution to a country now in dire straits."
–Jerusalem Post

In this impassioned book, Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz responds to Israel’s vociferous opponents–and explains why Israel, while not perfect, is a country that has earned the right to exist and defend itself. Drawing on scrupulous research and his peerless skills as an advocate, Dershowitz conclusively refutes thirty–two separate slurs, slanders, and misrepresentations that have been hurled at Israel in recent years, from "Jews have always rejected the two–state solution" and "Israel created the Arab refugee problem" to "universities should divest from Israel." Hard–hitting, well–reasoned, and provocative, The Case for Israel is essential reading if you’re concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

"A lively, hotly argued broadside against Israel’s increasingly venomous critics."
–Washington Post Book World

"Passionately argued . . . revealing and persuasive."
–The Times (London)

"Dershowitz . . . knows how to construct an argument. . . . Especially effective at pointing to the hypocrisy of many of Israel’s critics."
–New York Times Book Review

Customer Reviews

I expected better of Dershowitz
I have the highest respect for Professor Dershowitz, and frankly expected better of him than the contents of this book. While I can understand entirely why he feels the Jewish people deserve and need a homeland, this book goes nowhere in terms of explaining how any nation or indeed, a community of nations, can expel one people, in this case the Palestinian people, and replace them with another. Using the basis that according to some Jewish Biblical texts God gave them this land is both weak and irrelevant. What is relevant is that there exists no book that I have been able to obtain which can rationally justify displacing one nation for another. I had hoped on reading this book that I had found the answer but Professor Dershowtz comes nowhere near. Given his liberal penchant in domestic politics, I had hoped for a solution from him rather than hyperbole.

If you want to be informed, read this.
Mr Dershowitz's book is a most succinct and well argued "proactive defence" of Israel's right to exist. His book is set out with clear chapters, each addressing single issues such as "Why have more Palestinians that Israelis been killed?" or "Did Israel create the Arab Refugee Problem?". Each of these chapters is started with examples of quotes from the accusers: these are followed by a carefully crafted, well researched and concise argument to disprove each accusation.

The clarity of thought behind these arguments is easy to understand and only displays the mark of a lawyer in the way each point is carefully baked with evidence. It is an easy read and not at all "legalese".

The fact that Israel needs a defence of its right to exist is interesting in itself but, having read many, many books on this subject, I found this one to be a very clear summation of the issues. I would recommend it to anyone who feels they may not be getting the full story from contemporary news sources, especially in the UK.

Dershowitz is as lucid as ever
The best case for the "Case for Israel" is that none of the one-star reviewers even attempts to debate Dershowitz's facts, figures or logic - instead, they seem to resort to calling him a liar, a fabricator, a plagiarist and such like. Now, if this was indeed the case, why would they not refute his premises and / or conclusions? IMHO, this would be either due to the absence of arguments which can meet the test of critical reasoning - or due to strongly held system of beliefs which has nothing to do with critical reasoning to begin with. No work of homo sapiens can ever be 100% accurate, and it is not impossible that Dershowitz got some things wrong. Well, let's point them out and leave name-calling for the streets.