Washington – Prominent Israel advocate Prof. Alan Dershowitz hit back at a book by the founder of J Street charging that he and others have silenced criticism of the Jewish state, in a recent interview with The Jerusalem Post.
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J Street President Jeremy Ben- Ami’s recently released book, A New Voice for Israel: Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation, singles out Dershowitz, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and other members of the US Jewish establishment.
“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.”
“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.”
Ben-Ami also harshly critiques AIPAC, the AJC, the ADL and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations for siding with Israel “right-orwrong,” and for marginalizing and ostracizing voices of dissent against Israeli policy from the pro- Israel community.
Read full article in Jerusalem Post
Ben ami is self hateing Jew . If he was a goy he would be a anti semite
No one ever heard of the J-Street clowns until Hussain Obama went looking for the most left-wing “jewish” organization and gave them elitist status in exchange for them to always bash Israel “right-or-wrong.”
Now the mastermind behind this is running chacago or has his Axel is missing a Rod. Mit azelche yiden, ver darf goyim.
As long as Dershowitz or anyone uses the term occupation he can’t be considered pro Israel either,Occupied Jordan ? Jordan has no claim .Occupied Palestine when no such country exists? So how can it be Occupied ..Use the word disputed
marginalizing and ostracizing them is totally acceptable .No jewish group hates such a large segment of jews and Israel as they do .except maybe Neture Karte ,But they are just a group of nutheads who no one in his right mind will ever take serious.Why they haven’t joined J st is a puzzle. I guess they prefer kissing up to mad mullahs
Dershowitz is a moron if he thinks that Judea and Samaria is “occupied territory,” and even more so if he supports the establishment of a terror state for the fictional Palis.
The land is not “occupied,” it is Liberated!
We are confused: It has been reported that Mr. G. Tzoros is a major funder of this supposed-to-be Jewish advocacy group; and yet, he reportedly said in an interview that he does NOT fund Jewish groups, because Jews can take care of themselves. And so, what should we conclude? That in the opinion of their esteemed funder Mr. Tzoros – the group J-Street is NOT Jewish?