"The Case for Israel" by Alan Dershowitz, any reviews?

Zygote · #1 03-30-2005, 07:52 PM

I've heard a lot about this book, but haven't heard a credible review yet. Anyways, I'm looking to buy and read it, but don't like doing things without recomendations. I'm hoping to get responses from representatives of both sides of the issue. Thanks to those who respond.

Dead · #2 03-30-2005, 08:38 PM

I've read it.

It's a book full of distortions.

Dershowitz basically dodges all of the atrocities committed by the Israelis, while focusing on the suicide bombings and other attacks from the Palestinian side.

If you want to read a great book about the Middle East situation, read Palestine, by Joe Sacco and Edward Said.

Great book, which presents a fairer perspective.

It also doesn't help that Dershowitz is completely biased in his Zionist view.

Chris Alger · #3 03-31-2005, 02:32 AM

I haven't read it but my sense is that the book was generally ignored for being riddled with distortions and stale propaganda. It created a minor bit of controversy in the left-wing press over Dershowitz's unattributed use of sources from Joan Peters 1984 book From Time Immemorial. For a good laugh, read the corresondence concerning it here.

tek · #4 04-03-2005, 08:52 AM

[ QUOTE ]
It also doesn't help that Dershowitz is completely biased in his Zionist view.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to mention that is was the Zionists who caused all the trouble for our fellow mainstream Jews in the 1930's, including helping the nzais find holocaust victims in order to get propaganda value for a "needed homeland".

Zionists are evil Hegelians all the way...

Dead · #5 04-03-2005, 01:47 PM

I'm Jewish. Stop with the Holocaust arguments.

Gamblor · #6 04-03-2005, 03:28 PM

If you want to read a great book about the Middle East situation, read Palestine, by Joe Sacco and Edward Said.

Fairer prespective? Are you sick?

Okay, so you reject a logical legal argument by a Harvard Law professor, but you accept unconditionally Edward Said, a Palestinian who has made a name for himself by travelling the US to accuse Americans of succumbing to the Jewish lobby because Ari Fleischer and Paul Wolfowitz are in the White house?

I obviously thought dershowitz's book was good.

If you read anything by Said you're subject to far worse propaganda than Dershowitz could ever fire your way.

Read the Dershowitz book. Please. Don't listen to the Algers of the world (who in a fantastic display of proportion-understanding call Israel a terrorist state). Also try anything by Michael Barnett or Charles Krauthammer.

Zygote · #7 04-03-2005, 04:31 PM

you're all over the place. i think you love annoucing you're jewish just to take different positions. you couldn't be more proud to be a jew who hates israel and you coudln't be me more offended anytime someone disses jews and all the while, you don't even believe in judaism.

Dead · #8 04-03-2005, 04:47 PM

I get mad when people make anti-semitic remarks, yes. Because anti-semitic remarks are wrong.

I guess I need to repeat this: CRITICIZING ISRAEL FOR ITS POLICIES AND CRITICIZING JEWS FOR BEING JEWISH ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Do you get it now? Read it again. Read it 100 times, if that's what it takes.

Broken Glass Can · #9 04-03-2005, 05:08 PM

Dead is wrong here.

It is OK to criticize actions of individuals
It is OK to criticize political groups
It is not OK to generalize to an entire race

Zionists can be criticized for their political positions.

Individual Jews can be criticized for their individual actions.

The fact that the criticisms earlier in this thread were bogus (and they were) does not change Dead's error in generalizing individuals and groups into the entire race.

If I were to say critizing Republicans was anti-American, I would be making the same false logical leap of generalization that Dead has made.

Zygote · #10 04-03-2005, 05:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I get mad when people make anti-semitic remarks, yes. Because anti-semitic remarks are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then why did you mention you were jewish? If you weren't jewish, would they still be wrong?

[ QUOTE ]
I guess I need to repeat this: CRITICIZING ISRAEL FOR ITS POLICIES AND CRITICIZING JEWS FOR BEING JEWISH ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Do you get it now? Read it again. Read it 100 times, if that's what it takes.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are the one who keeps connecting religion and politics. you tacitly imply in many of your posts that the fact that you are jewish and critizing israel gives you a higher authority. if this isn't true, why do you keep trying to use the fact that you're jewish to give crediblity to your anti-israel arguments? there has to be a reason why you keep mentioning it.