The Case for Israel (Hardcover)

~ Alan Dershowitz (Author) "Israel is a colonial, imperialist, settler state, comparable to apartheid South Africa..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, United Nations, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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 underpopulated" late 19th-century Palestine, to which European Jews began emigrating; and a 75-year-long Arab-Israeli 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.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Dershowitz is one of the nation's most prominent and visible defense attorneys, and he is also an ardent, eloquent, but not always uncritical defender of Israel. This book is written in the form of a legal brief. He does not seek to defend particular policies of the current Israeli government. In fact, Dershowitz has frequently criticized some Israeli policies toward Palestinians, particularly regarding West Bank settlements. Rather, here he attempts to rebut what he views as the more general and blatantly discriminatory criticisms of Israel as a state and culture. Some of these criticisms deny the "right" of Israel to exist. In response, Dershowitz asserts both the practical and moral justification for the continued existence of Israel as Jewish state. He also convincingly refutes several other oft-repeated myths, including the supposedly benign treatment of Jews in Arab lands and the "cycle of violence" canard that morally equates Palestinian suicide bombings with Israeli efforts to arrest or kill bombers before they act. As usual, Dershowitz is a passionate but generally fair and honest advocate for his position. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (August 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047146502X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471465027
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (167 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #464,980 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An eloquent defense of a worthy ally, March 13, 2004

By A Customer

I am not Jewish so I don't have an emotional investment in the the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After reading this book, I simply can't understand how anyone could deny Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state within at least its pre-1967 borders. Dershowitz shows how time after time (1937, 1948, 1967, 2000) the Arabs consistently refused any sort of compromise with the Jews. His assertions are well-documented, and he does an especially fine job of exposing Noam Chomsky and Edward Said for the frauds that they are. Frankly, after reading this book, I felt a sense of outrage at the double standard that Israel must endure.

49 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Learning Experience, September 28, 2003

By A Customer

I was a bit lost about the whole Middle East issue. This book really helped me sort things out. The author is pro-Israeli, but he rights in a way that lets you evaluate what he says for yourself.
It is also well written and reads easily.
I really recommend it.

51 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading, September 19, 2003

By	sb-lynn (Santa Barbara, California United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This book should be required reading for anyone who thinks that they have an opinion on the Israeli/Palastinian conflict....and that is just about everyone.

The chapters are easily read, and each one represents an accusation against Israel (i.e. Did Israel create the Arab refugee problem?).
Dershowitz then addresses the accusation by organizing the chapters as follows:
There is a brief argument by the accusers, and then Dershowitz responds with a brief paragraph called "reality" which is a summary of Dershowitz's conclusions. This is then followed by his "proof", or argument in response, supporting the summary.

This all makes for an organized, "easy to follow" argument, and it makes it easy to refer back to any particular argument if you are so inclined.

Dershowitz makes a concerted effort to make an unemotional, legal argument, based solely on the facts. This is not easy to do with such an explosive subject, but I think he does it well.

As stated earlier, this book should be required reading for everyone. Dershowitz not only sets the records straight, he even offers constructive solutions for the peace process.

For those who want to be able to effectively "debate" these issues with others, and for those who simply want to learn about this all too important subject, this book is just what you are looking for. It really is the responsibility for all good people to know what is going on. And then, just maybe, there can be peace.

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