I am a strong supporter of Israel (though sometimes critical of specific policies). I am also a strong supporter of Barack Obama (though I favored Hillary Clinton during the primaries). I am now getting dozens of emails asking me how as a supporter of Israel I can vote for Barack Obama. Let me explain.
I think that on the important issues relating to Israel, both Senator McCain and Senator Obama score very high. During the debates each candidate has gone out of his and her way to emphasize strong support for Israel as an American ally and a bastion of democracy in a dangerous neighborhood. They have also expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself against the nuclear threat posed by Iran which has sworn to wipe Israel off the map and the need to prevent another Holocaust.
There may be some difference in nuance among the candidates, especially with regard to negotiations with Iran, but supporters of Israel should not base their voting decision on which party or which candidates support Israel more enthusiastically. In the United States, Israel is not a divisive issue, and voting for President is not a referendum on support for Israel, at least among the major parties.
I want to keep it that way. I want to make sure that support for Israel remains strong both among liberals and conservatives. It is clear that extremists on both sides of the political spectrum hate Israel, because they hate liberal democracies, because they tend to have a special place in their heart for tyrannical regimes, and because they often have strange views with regard to anything Jewish. The extreme left, as represented by Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Norman Finkelstein and, most recently, Jimmy Carter has little good to say about the Jewish state. But nor does the extreme right, as represented by Pat Buchanan, Robert Novak, Joseph Sobran and David Duke. When it comes to Israel there is little difference between the extreme right and the extreme left. Nor is there much of a difference between the centrist political left and the centrist political right: both generally support Israel. Among Israel's strongest supporters have always been Ted Kennedy, Harry Reed, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The same is true of the centrist political right, as represented by Mitt Romney, George W. Bush, Oren Hatch and John McCain.
Why then do I favor Obama over McCain? First, because I support him on policies unrelated to Israel, such as the Supreme Court, women's rights, separation of church and state and the economy. But I also prefer Obama to McCain on the issue of Israel. How can I say that if I have just acknowledged that on the issues they both seem to support Israel to an equal degree? The reason is because I think it is better for Israel to have a liberal supporter in the White House than to have a conservative supporter in the oval office. Obama's views on Israel will have greater impact on young people, on Europe, on the media and on others who tend to identify with the liberal perspective. Although I believe that centrists liberals in general tend to support Israel, I acknowledge that support from the left seems to be weakening as support from the right strengthens. The election of Barack Obama -- a liberal supporter of Israel -- will enhance Israel's position among wavering liberals.
As I travel around university campuses both in the United States and abroad, I see radical academics trying to present Israel as the darling of the right and anathema to the left. As a liberal supporter of Israel, I try to combat that false image. Nothing could help more in this important effort to shore up liberal support for Israel than the election of a liberal president who strongly supports Israel and who is admired by liberals throughout the world. That is among the important reasons why I support Barack Obama for president.
Alan M. Dershowitz is a Professor of Law at Harvard. His most recent book The Case Against Israel's Enemies: Exposing Jimmy Carter and Others Who Stand In The Way of Peace which has recently been published by Wiley.
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Given a choice between Israel and the USA: Do you support the United States of America?
A followup: Do you, Alan Dershowitz
Further: Do you, Alan Dershowitz
Finally: Do you, Alan Dershowitz
Nepi
a a wet dream of every Anti-Semit
"Israel should make peace with Hamas ..."
Hamas Charter:
"The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine has been an Islamic Waqf throughout the generation
"There is no solution for the Palestinia
USA did NOT support Israel in the beginning because Israelis were perceived as socialist pinkos. Only when Arabs firmly turned towards Soviet Union that Israel became an important ally of US. And it remains so until today.
And why would a liberal hate a liberal democracy?
"It is clear that extremists on both sides of the political spectrum hate Israel, because they hate liberal democracie
Is it because Alan labels them 'extremist
But your impression
What absolute bull hockey: People who disagree with Dersho, it's because they love tyrannies. Wasn't this the same line of argument that preceeded the Iraq War? That is: anyone who was opposed to the invasion was anti-Ameri
Now, along comes Palin and says that you cannot second guess Israel. Yeah, that's a true friend. Being a true friend doesn't mean supporting everything your friend does but helping him doing the right thing.
Who is the real friend, if your friend is about to commit suicide? The one who doesn't second guess you or the one who strongly objects to your suicidal plan?
If John McCain and George Bush are truly strong supporters of Israel, then I am very, very glad not to have their support.
of course it's not in Isreals long term interest but it satisfies the Zionists back home, who don't actually have to live with the consequenc
Both hold elections which include candidates representi
Israel actually possesses nuclear WMD while Iran can at most build one or two nuclear reactors. Isrealis financed a spy ring inside our nuclear industry to obtain theirs.
When will the U.S demand Isreal's nukes be inspected.
Yet at a time when U.S citizens go without , Dershowitz lobbies for billions to continue to Isreal , the 29th largest economy in the world.
Barack/Joe in 08 (we're going after the crooks)