Israel Matzav

'J Street has harmed Israel'

Alan Dershowitz slams J Street chief Jeremy Ben Ami's new book.

“It’s a myth that criticism of Israel is silenced,” Dershowitz said in a phone interview with the Post on Thursday. I have spoken at AIPAC many times and have criticized Israeli policy. AIPAC has never silenced me, because AIPAC knows I’m pro-Israel.”

In the book, Ben-Ami argues that the major Jewish organizations and pro-Israel advocates in America have “created a situation where one can’t question or criticize Israeli policy or actions without being branded an outcast.”

Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor, vehemently expressed disagreement with that assertion.

“Ben-Ami was in diapers when I opposed the occupation and was in favor of the two-state solution,” Dershowitz said on Thursday.

“See, I’m [J Street’s] worst nightmare. I oppose the occupation. But I’m really pro-Israel, unlike them.”

Dershowitz also argued that J Street’s actions have had a deleterious effect on the next generation’s ability to effectively advocate for Israel.

“I think J Street has done more damage to Israel than any [other] American organization,” he said.

“It has made a generation of Jews ashamed to be pro-Israel, and has made it politically correct among young people to single out Israel to a double standard and for fault.”

...

Dershowitz called J Street’s branding of its message as pro-Israel “dishonest.”

“It is a fraud in advertising to call J Street pro-Israel,” he said. “An organization that calls for the US to censure Israel at the UN is not pro-Israel. An organization that praises [judge Richard] Goldstone is not pro-Israel. An organization that calls for taking any military measure against Iran off the table is not pro-Israel. It should stop defrauding the public.”

I wonder whether Dershowitz thinks that Tzipi Livni is pro-Israel. Is an Israeli politician who calls on the President of the United States to 'keep pressuring Israel' pro-Israel? I think she's pro-Livni.

Read the whole thing. Please don't waste your money and don't put money in Ben Ami's pocket by buying the book. There are excerpts here with commentary by yours truly.

Labels: Alan Dershowitz, J Street, Jeremy Ben Ami, pro-Israel pro-peace, Tzipi Livni

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:26 AM