Rating: 
Summary: Very valuable perspective -- highly recommended
Review: (...) After reading The Case for Israel, I've come away with a better understanding of the issues and how the Israelis and the Palestinians came to their current positions. Reading this book was very difficult emotionally because it enumerates the differences of opinion and the conflicting versions of history and keeps them front and center throughout. Dershowitz makes a continuing and workmanlike effort to separate the facts from the fiction. Sorting through all this strife was not a relaxing endeavor, but it was worth the effort. For those who really want to understand the complexities of the situation and are not just looking for pat answers, I strongly recommend including this book in your reading about Israeli/Palestinian affairs.(...)
Rating: 
Summary: Wow!!!!
Review: Sometimes I think that Alan Dershowitz must be the smartest man in America! He's so right when he talks about Israel's right to exist and the determination of its people to be tolerant of differences among themselves, which in many cases greatly outweigh differences between Arabs and Jews. Just look at what we're creating. Nobody can tell me that any Arab state treats its citizens as fairly as we treat Arabs in Israel, and in the so-called occupied territories.
Rating:
Summary: The Middle East explained by a defender of human rites
Review: Dershowitz's book should be a setwork in every school around the world that teaches the history of the Middle East. However it doesn't read like "Accounts 101". A beautifuly thought out book that leaves the reader with a clear understanding of the massive task that awaits peace loving human beings in the Middle East. By bringing backround to major arguments and historical events as well as clearly defining the accusations as well as the defense, Dershowitz presents the History of the Middle-East conflict with a clarity that is truly astonishing. One of the most amazing aspects of this book is that Dershowitz steers clear of all pro-Israel Historians, Politicians and reporters choosing rather to document his writings with proofs, quotations and sources from (pro)Arab or "neutral" camps (eg. Mark Twain, British Secratary to Palastine, The PLO charter etc). This book is exeptionally well thought out, written and most importantly well referenced. This makes it, in my opinion, one of the authorative works on the middle East, The state of Israel and the Israeli and Palestinian struggle for peace and freedom against the primal evil that twists and corrupts the minds of innocents.
My only criticisim is that i can no longer sit calmly through a CNN news report.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT - - A MUST READ!!!
Review: Compelling. It is evident that the writer put a lot of thought and research into this book. FYI -- I also recommend "The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extrodinary Land." My book club just finished reviewing this literary work of art. Our 40 members all agreed that it was the best book we've read in recent memory. Not bad, considering we discuss a book every two weeks!
Rating:
Summary: A Word to my Fellow Gentiles. . .
Review: This is one of the most lucid and important books of the decade but before I tell you why, a short question: On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, how anti-semitic are you? Zero? Hmm. . .would you feel comfortable carrying this book in public, despite the title and the large Star of David on the cover? Or would it be easier to go about with The Communist Manifesto or Mein Kempf, provided they were tucked away in your briefcase? Do you believe that Jews should do away with the Star, as they mostly worship the Golden Calf of money. Not all, of course, but enough to make the Calf or the Mercedez Benz logo their true sign? After all there must be a reason why 'everybody' says The French are rude, the Gypsies steal and Jews have no business ethics. No? Still on the side of the angels? Good for you. You're halfway to sainthood. Now here's the last, and apparently the toughest, one: Do you believe that Israel is our '51st State.' That it exists because billions of US dollars propped it up. That ideologically it's a theocracy, much like the Muslim states it fights but that we created it because there were more Jewish than Arab voters in the US and because Jews controlled a vast portion of the media? Granted, Palestinians commit acts of terror, but they have no other recourse; besides being devout Muslims, they're not fully rational and accountable, or even if they were, imagine just how bad must things be be for them to engage in suicide bombings? After all Israel in 1948 drove out hundreds of thousands of them from their ancestral lands at the point of a gun with no other excuse that the Jews needed sanctuary and the devil take the hindmost. Right? Jesus Wept! If you do believe in the distorted bull in the paragraph above, I suppose it's forgivable--provided you're 16 or younger and your information of The Middle East comes from talking heads on CNN. For the adults I reccomend that, by all means, read the 'other side' Noam Chomsky's and Edward Said's 'Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel and Palestine' (As usual with Chomsky, EVERYTHING in the world is all America's fault) but in the interests of fair play, I had to mention it--just keep a plastic bag nearby in case of nausea. Then read "The Case for Israel" Dershowitz breaks the book down into 32 short chapters. Each chapter begins with 'THE ACCUSATION' from which the chapter takes its name. i.e; #1 Is Israel a Colonial Imperialist State? # 9 Were Jews a Minority in What Became Israel? # 12 Did Israel Create the Arab Refugee Problem? Then 'THE ACCUSERS' quotes from enemies indicting Israel on that specific charge. Followed by 'THE REALITY' A rebuttal by Dershowitz. All three are usually short paragraphs. Last but not least is, 'THE PROOF' which constitutes the bulk of each chapter. By no means is Dershowitz whitewashing Israeli crimes or blunders. He is uncompromising regarding the 1948 Deir Yassin massacre, the 1982 butchery in Lebanon's refugee camps and the 1994 mass murder of Muslims at prayer by Baruch Goldstein. In embracing the truth, no matter where the truth leads, Dershowitz has written the strongest defense for Israel's right to exist. If you're tired of soundbytes, and want a brief yet comprehensible chronicle on the history of The Middle East--so next time someone brings up The Balfour Declaration, The Peel Commission, Churchill's Zionism, and the formation of Transjordan, you won't be left out in the cold, read the book. Unless, of course, you've been kidding yourself all along about your zero status regarding anti-semitism.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Compelling Case
Review: Professor Dershowitz manages to refute over 20 myths in a relatively short, easy-to-read book. It is not an extremist pro-Israeli book, but merely a book advocating Israel's right to exist and defend its citizens from terrorism. Dershowitz advocates the two-state solution as the solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, as do most moderates worldwide. He also underscores the palpable double standard the international community applies to the State of Israel and to the Jewish people. The double standard truly is unfortunate. In short, I highly recommend this book to people seeking cold, hard facts about the Middle East, as well as people who want to fully assess whether or not the plethora of accusations against Israel are, in fact, accurate.
Rating: 
Summary: Garbage. Dershowitz Fawned Over Clinton While Hamas.....
Review: ......was raising money in America. Clinton & Janet Reno allowed Hamas to raise money in America to pay for sucide bombers in Israel. The FBI went to Reno and she said leave Hamas alone. Hamas raised millions in America while Clinton was in office and Deshowitz was on TV every night with that nebish Jerry Rivers (Gerlado) defending Clinton. That mensch Dick Morris detailed how Clinton looked the other way while Hamas was raising $20 million a year in America to kill jews back in Israel. How do you sleep at night Mr. Deshowitz? More tripe from Dershowitz. This lackey was licking Clinton's boots while Reno was looking the other way as Hamas was raising money in a America and as Hillary & Bill were hugging the Arafats. No mention on how the Clintons heroes the Arafats, fund Yasser's Al Aqusa Martyrs brigade who blow up and kill jews on a regular basis. Looks like the NY rabbis and Dershowitz sold out jews in Israel for 20 pieces of silver for their terrorist loving goyim pals the Clintons. Deshowitz pals the Clintons were helping Hamas & the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Just what we would expect from a gunif lawyer who defended Ron Goldman's murderer.
Rating:
Summary: Look, people...
Review: First, I would like to thank Mr. Dershowitz for his fine analysis of Israel as a peculiar democracy that happens to have a Jewish character. This is not, as some claim, so contradictory; isn't France a democracy with a primarily French character? Second, a book about Israel, in defense of some of its policies and its very existence, is not propaganda. In the first few pages, Dershowitz says that he is not giving some systematic overview of the history in the area during the last 2000 years or so. He is writing a book dealing with current criticisms of Israel and arguing his case. That is neither biased nor propagandistic, especially when he defines his purpose at the beginning and reminds the reader at various intervals throughout. It's interesting to note that those who bombard Dershowitz with claims of one-sidedness wholeheartedly support Chomsky's ill-advised rhetoric. I believe strongly that Israel has a right to exist. Those who claim that this right is not in question obviously haven't read much Said or Chomsky. In fact, many intellectuals on the far left are increasingly in favor of opposing Israel from an academic standpoint by claiming anti-Zionism. Chomsky calls it "an apartheid state", though his use of words basically means little since the comparison with South Africa is negligible. Let us not forget Vanessa Redgrave's famous "anti-Zionism" in the seventies. Dershowitz is an intellectual to be taken seriously. His book is well-informed and offers resolutions. Instead of demonizing one side he offers solutions and analysis, where Chomsky would simply spout venom. Intellectual integrity seems to be decreasing when it comes to studying Israel and the peace process. This work is informative, well-written, and well cited. Thanks to Professor Dershowitz for his intellectual vigor.
Rating: 
Summary: Who needs an apologetic book about the State of Israel?
Review: This imminent question is hardly finding an answer! Just by looking to the state itself: almost 5,000,000 in population; GDP per capita equivalent to Spain; minimum five billion dollars of US aid every year; fourth largest army in the world; 50 nuclear heads (capable of destroying the Arab world, Pakistan and Iran... twice!); highly sophisticated space industry and undeniable stockpile of chemical and biological arsenals.
Again, when someone considers a nation with such numbers should ask, is it necessary to issue a statement like "The Case for Israel" for it? Who needs it? What is the purpose of it? Do we find in the libraries books like the case for France, or Russia or The United Kingdom?
The book is about the right to exist for Israel! I had immediately one question jumping up to my mind: Who challenge the existence of Israel?
Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel, Jordan did the same, Syria is waiting at the door and the Palestinians are begging for peace (including Hamas, The Islamist Terrorist, extremist, Muslim Fanatics... group). Probably Iraq of Saddam Hussein with its "active programs related to projects of WMD" against the NUKE arsenals that Israel possesses!
The fact is that the Arab league offered Sharon total normalization against total withdrawal from the occupied territory and the reply was the military re-occupation of the occupied territories.
It was much better for a professor from Harvard like Dershowitz to offer an apologetic book about peace, about the wisdom of winner-winner solution, and about admiring the Israeli capability of building a democratic wealthy nation and assisting it in having a better future. Israel is far beyond striving for its existence, it is powerful enough to shape the peace it deems appropriate for its people and its neighbors. We need books about that.
Rating:
Summary: Concise, Courageous and Persuasive
Review: As the author states, this book presents the case for the State of Israel. It is concisely written, well reasoned and convincing. It really opened my eyes to many truths not often reported. So much of the suffering is the direct result of the poor leadership of the Palestinians and even of their Arab and Muslim neighbors. Israel has offerred a reasonable two state solution several times. The last time it was rejected by Arafat without so much as a counterproposal. The author does not try to excuse all Israeli conduct, however, he does point to the positive actions taken. And he reveals the failings on the Palestinian side. One is left with the opinion that the goal of the Palestinian leadership has been the murder of Jews and the elimination of the State of Israel. A two state solution is the only plausible result, yet the Palestinians will not accept this result. I commend the author for the courage to tell the truth, especially as he is a college professor who will undoubtedly take much criticism. The truth needs to be told for without it there is no hope for peace.
| 
