Harvard's Dershowitz Criticizes "Anti-Israel Zealots" on College Campuses

Civil liberties lawyer and Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz berated his academic colleagues for failing to stand up for Israeli causes in a passionate speech at Duke University's Page Auditorium on Sunday afternoon.

Dershowitz, who came to campus as Jewish Awareness Week's keynote speaker, said some faculty members in favor of divesting from Israel are turning students into "knee-jerk anti-Israel zealots" -- and universities aren't doing enough to promote dialogue by hiring faculty members to counter those views.

Dershowitz called for both an end to violence between Israelis and Palestinians, and for "a cease-fire in rhetoric" from those who opposed Israel's right to exist.

"I thank God that Israel only has to make peace with Palestinians and former terrorists, and not with the Middle Eastern Studies department at Columbia University," Dershowitz said.

Author of the book, "The Case for Israel," Dershowitz said he thought the greatest obstacle to peace between Israelis and Palestinians now came from outsiders like the International Court of Justice, United Nations and academics who have "blood on their hands" for opposing a two-state solution to the conflict.

"They want to destroy Israel through the court of public opinion, and that's why college campuses are so important and that's why I'm here today," he said. "When you present students with situations where everyone who speaks about Israel is opposed to it, students then begin to see Israel as a great violator of human rights."

Contrary to that view, Dershowitz called Israel the "best country in the world" in balancing individual civil liberties with the fight against terrorism. He said Middle Eastern Studies professors also never discussed the plethora of medical advances and technological achievements that Israel exported to the rest of the world.

Despite taking several verbal swipes at Columbia's faculty, Dershowitz praised Duke's handling of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement conference held on campus last fall. As a defender of civil liberties, Dershowitz said he would have strongly opposed any decision to ban or censor the conference. Instead, he said Duke was a "healthier campus" for allowing open debate to thrive.

"Duke has become a model for how campuses in the future should deal with this invasion," he said.

The lawyer who helped defend celebrity clients such as O.J. Simpson, Michael Milken and Mike Tyson also sprinkled some dark humor into his speech. Dershowitz called the recent death of former Palestinian Authority leader Yassir Arafat "better late than never" and commented on the title of his book, "The Case for Israel."

"Nobody has to write 'The Case for Canada' or 'The Case for Spain' or 'The Case for France,' although somebody now probably should write 'The Case for France,' " he quipped.

The packed house of students and community members gave the speech a standing ovation, and event coordinator Amanda Zimmerman said she wasn't surprised at the crowd's outpouring of support.

"He puts into words what everyone feels," said Zimmerman, a Duke senior. "He talks about something most Jews will agree on: Israel's right to exist. He challenges people to think, but gives his support without alienating anyone."

Chapel Hill resident Marsha Horowitz only had one complaint after Dershowitz finished his speech.

"Why is there only one of him?" she asked.