Exclusive interview with American Lawyer, Professor of law at Harvard Law School, author of the best selling “The Case for Israel”, Alan Morton Dershowitz
Mr. Dershowitz, first of all, I am grateful to you to give an interview for Eurasia Diary. You are author of “The Case for Israel”. What is the book about?
- The Case for Israel is dedicated to all those who want to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict peacefully, with dignity and security on both sides.
We regularly hear that “criticizing of Israel is an equivalent to anti-Semitism”. Do you consider that criticism of Israel is anti-Semitism?
- Criticism of Israel is healthy and not at all anti-Semitic, as long as it is fair and does not single out Israel – the nation state of the Jewish people – for criticism that no other nation receives. If criticism of Israeli policies was anti-Semitic, then the most anti-Semitic newspaper in the world would be Ha’aretz and the largest concentration of anti-Semites would be in Tel Aviv. Fair criticism is essential to democracy. But applying a double standard to the nation state of the Jewish people smacks of bigotry.
How can you explain public calls for the annihilation of Israel and Jewish people? For instance, some terrorist groups, like Hamas say that their goal is to destroy Israel.
- I take very seriously threats to annihilate the nation state of the Jewish people as well as the Jewish people themselves. Following the Holocaust no such threats can be ignored. Israel must maintain both its preventive and deterrent capacities, while at the same time seeking peace through all diplomatic means. The Iranian people do not have hatred for the Jews. Polls show more positive feelings among Iranians than many other countries in the Middle East. It’s only the undemocratic, tyrannic leaders who distort the Koran to generate hatred against the Jewish people and their legitimate nation state.
What would you propose for the settlement of the Israel-Arab conflict?
- There is a solution. It requires compromises on both sides, and the creation of a disarmed Palestinian state on most areas of the West Bank.
How do you assess the situation with anti-Semitism in US?
- There is very little overt Anti-Semitism in the US, except on the extreme right and left. Increasingly however, radical anti-Zionism especially on college campuses has often morphed into anti-Semitism. Accordingly this is not the time to end government organizations that combat anti-Semitism.
As you know that, a large community of Mountain Jews resides in Azerbaijan. What would you like to wish them?
- Jews should be free to live and practice their faith and support Zionism everywhere in the world. They should also be free to immigrate to Israel or anywhere else they choose. I wish the Jewish community of Azerbaijan well in its efforts to preserve a heritage that goes back so many centuries. But know that if there are any problems, we are available to help. Because of Israel and strong Jewish communities in many nations, no Jew will ever again have to stand alone against anti-Semitic bigotry.
