December 21, 2006
You can always tell when a public figure has written an indefensible book: when he refuses to debate it in the court of public opinion. And you can always tell when he's a hypocrite to boot: when he says he wrote a book in order to stimulate a debate, and then he refuses to participate in any such debate. I'm talking about former president Jimmy Carter and his new book "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid."
Carter's book has been condemned as "moronic" (Slate), "anti-historical" (The Washington Post), "laughable" (San Francisco Chronicle), and riddled with errors and bias in reviews across the country. Many of the reviews have been written by non-Jewish as well as Jewish critics, and not by "representatives of Jewish organizations" as Carter has claimed. Carter has gone even beyond the errors of his book in interviews, in which he has said that the situation in Israel is worse than the crimes committed in Apartheid South Africa. When asked whether he believed that Israel's "persecution" of Palestinians was "[e]ven worse . . . than a place like Rwanda," Carter answered, "Yes. I think -- yes."
When Larry King referred to my review several times to challenge Carter, Carter first said I hadn't read the book and then blustered, "You know, I think it's a waste of my time and yours to quote professor Dershowitz. He's so obviously biased, Larry, and it's not worth my time to waste it on commenting on him." (He never did answer King's questions.)
The next week Carter wrote a series of op-eds bemoaning the reception his book had received. He wrote that his "most troubling experience" had been "the rejection of [his] offers to speak" at "university campuses with high Jewish enrollment." The fact is that Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz had invited Carter to come to Brandeis to debate me, and Carter refused. The reason Carter gave was this: "There is no need to for me to debate somebody who, in my opinion, knows nothing about the situation in Palestine."
As Carter knows, I've been to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, many times -- certainly more times than Carter has been there -- and I've written three books dealing with the subject of Middle Eastern history, politics, and the peace process. The real reason Carter won't debate me is that I would correct his factual errors. It's not that I know too little; it's that I know too much.
Nor is Carter the unbiased observer of the Middle East that he claims to be. He has accepted money and an award from Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan , saying in 2001: "This award has special significance for me because it is named for my personal friend, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan." This is the same Zayed, the long-time ruler of the United Arab Emirates, whose $2.5 million gift to the Harvard Divinity School was returned in 2004 due to Zayed's rampant Jew-hatred. Zayed's personal foundation, the Zayed Center, claims that it was Zionists, rather than Nazis, who "were the people who killed the Jews in Europe" during the Holocaust. It has held lectures on the blood libel and conspiracy theories about Jews and America perpetrating Sept. 11. Carter's acceptance of money from this biased group casts real doubt on his objectivity and creates an obvious conflict of interest.
Carter's refusal to debate wouldn't be so strange if it weren't for the fact that he claims that he wrote the book precisely so as to start debate over the issue of the Israel-Palestine peace process. If that were really true, Carter would be thrilled to have the opportunity to debate. Authors should be accountable for their ideas and their facts. Books shouldn't be like chapel, delivered from on high and believed on faith.
What most rankles is Carter's insistence that he is somehow brave for attacking Israel and highlighting the plight of the Palestinian people. No other conflict in the world -- not even the genocides in Rwanda and Sudan -- evokes more hand-wringing in the media, universities, and human rights organizations than the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Jimmy Carter isn't brave for beating up on Israel. He's a bully. And like all school-yard bullies, underneath the tough talk and bravado, there's a nagging insecurity and a fear that one day he'll have to answer for himself in a fair fight.
When Jimmy Carter's ready to speak at Brandeis, or anywhere else, I'll be there. If he refuses to debate, I will still be there -- ready and willing to answer falsity with truth in the court of public opinion.
Alan Dershowitz is a professor of law at Harvard University. His most recent book is "Preemption: A Knife That Cuts Both Ways."
Join the conversation and read Alan Dershowitz' exclusive six part series "Ex-President for Sale" on Gather at alandershowitz.gather.com
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Comments: 39
Carter's book is a joke, and anyone who is intellectually honest knows it.
oh PUHLEZZE ! ! ! ! ! !
Candida Bohnne-Eittreim - You remember very selectively- the "Iranian hostage crisis" was the "Iran-Contra Affair". You know, Oliver North and other right wing tools arranged to have those hostages held longer in order to beat President Carter in the election.
"Truth"? The truth is, sir, you are not worthy of sharing air with President Carter, much less debating him. How much of the money you haul in on book sales, lecture fees and "awards" do you donate? I'm bettting it's all tied up in stocks and bonds.
As far as how is right or wrong when it comes to Israel. I will stand behind Israel. They have had to fight just for existence for centuries. They should have the same right to exist in peace and harmony as well as anyone else. They are a tough little nation but they have had to be just that . Its called survival. We cannot let History repeat itself and I am glad that the United States supports them. No government is perfect but I can truly understand their stance on defending themselves. How many times have they extended the olive branch only to be fired on again or their people taken hostage? I think they have shown great restraint on several occasions because the US has asked them to. I am not Jewish, I am Baptist so there is no bias here. Good Article and thanks Alan for letting us know this.
Neo= New
Con= Short for Concervative
I am not a "New Concervative", but I believe in Israels right to exist.
Stop name calling and do some freekin research.
If Cater wont stand up for his book then the book shouldn't stand... After all the writer is not willing to defend it out in the open.
Carter is a weak soul, and he has given into prase from Nobel and others, and he likes the limelight...
too bad, building home is a better vocation for him, the poor are still here and many still need homes...
Too Bad all that Arib Money he recived wasn't given to buiold homes for the poor.... Nope it is for Caters Institute...
Thank you Sir for the Article.
Mr. Dershowitz, is requesting that Jimmy stand behind his words written with evidence. That is the least that Jimmy should do. Jimmy has a history of distorting facts, with his biased opinions, and has gone unchecked for quite some time.
Tell me what Jimmy did to warrant respect or a pass on biased opinionized writing? Nothing. As far as the Iran/contra affair, we did get our people back, whcih Jimmy could not do.
The selective memories are running quite strong. The bigotry and hatred shines quite proudly for those who have thse tendancies. IS there a true problem with a person voicing their opinion? Is there truly an issue with demanding an ex-president of the most powerful country, to at least have evidence to lend credence to his bigotry and hatred portrayed upon the pages of his book?
It amazes me, how rude some on here can be.
Again thank you Mr. Dershowitz for taking the time to give in detail, what Jimmy has written and opined in his book.
I retract my Neo-con "insult". I don't actually believe you are conservative, either. Why, many of you don't even know how to Spell it. I believe the Republicans are the ones who came up with the term. I was trying to avoid insults by using it.
RANDY D.- you're so... amazing. I guess you had someone else interpret the Iran/Contra Affair for you, too, hence your ignorance on the subject. "Jimmy?" How very rude of you.
I love Israel. I believe they have a right to exist. I believe they have the right to the land they "won" in the six days war. I have a really hard time believing that anyone has the right to bomb neighborhoods, hospitals and orphanages. Even if there are terrorists hiding nearby. My reaction to that was shock and dismay. Same as it was when the big fence/wall was built to keep all the Palestinians in (out?), thereby condemning them to an even more crippling cycle of poverty and hopelessness (hatred) than before. I don't believe this route on their part is going to make peace happen.
People are surprized that a Nobel prize winning former president will not debate a celebrity lawyer/novelist? President Carter wrote a book in which he put forth his ideas about the problems in the middle east and how they might be solved. He has actually done a lot of traveling to the area... spoken personally with many of the principles. Read it.
If you want to, write a book or article putting forth your solution, Mr. Dershowitz. What is YOUR solution? A Carthaginian Peace?
And there are more and more special enlightened beings incarnating on the planet, raising and raising the vibration of the mental field. Waves and waves of awakenings.
Looking at the Mideast / South America / Africa -----remembering that all these areas, and more, are undergoing the last throes of the energy that was allowed to manifest during the hell cycle. It won't go on forever.
We can assist the transformation of the hell-cycle energies, the transmutation of the mental poisons and victim-perp dramas, if we simply KNOW this has an end, and we use our Good Will - Free Will Choice, remember? use our Good Will to give the age of peace a mental boost every time the hell energies hit the headlines. We do NOT have to allow our minds and wills to be hypnotized any longer.
Freesponsibility goes with the privilege of being born a citizen of the nations of Turtle Island.
Let's talk about fair shall we? Professor Dershowitz is there any criticism of Israel, the tactics of their lobbyists, and their conduct that you agree with? If so, please provide evidence of that.
Oh, and read some HISTORY. (Not Op-eds, actual fact based history)
"Israel is one tiny country that historically has been the victim of mass genocides over and over again."
Isreal has only existed as a modern state since 1948. Yes, it was a ancient Jewish state and, under the Ottoman Empire (mid 19th century-WWI), was mostly Jewish. Most of the persecution of the Jews was done by the Europeans, both in Europe and at the hands of "Christian" crusaders, who generally muredered everyone in their path through the mid-East- including Christians. (They looked just like the Muslims and Jews.) For the most part- for centuries- the Arabs and Turks were much nicer to the Jews than the European Christians.
Gather has thereby added to the polarization in this country instead of attempting to alleviate it as any responsible organization 'should' do ... especially one that claims to not have an axe to grind.
I have also heard that there has been some shenanigans by Gather in interfering with one who had comments apparently not to their liking (not pro AD or pro Zionist) ...
If AD has a problem with Carter, he should write his own book about it ... why the hell should Carter be expected to confront every lying snake in the grass that rears up spitting venom. That is about all the majority of commenters here are doing ... including (especially) AD.
Most Americans still haven't forgiven him for his "pull on a sweater and use less energy" rather than the "greed is good, waste is American" credo of Reagan who succeeded him.
Dereshowitz, who has had his own brush with plagerism and "borrowed" references, would advance his arguments further if he focused on what he disputes about the Carter book, rather than the "I have traveled more, I have read more, more people like my ideas", blather and bravada.
The full-press assault on Carter, especially the nonsense about Arab money, looks more like an attempt to poison the well than to debate an issue.
These much-advertised, and sometimes censored, articles featuring Dershowitz's attacks actually lend credence to Carter's claim that there is no fair hearing for Palestinian grievances in the US.
Cannot the continuing Israeli land grab on the West Bank be debated?
God bless and best of luck.
But, in this discussion, it seems the discussion is causing more and more people to put other people into stereotypes. I especially love the comments that say "The Jews" believe or want or whatever. There was a saying in our Synagogue and I believe it is in others, as well: "two Jews, three opinions." Palestinians are all being lumped in with those terrorists. The fact is there are Palestinians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Budhists, athiests, etc., who DO want peace. Wouldn't all this energy be better put to use working on a solution.
I don't care if Carter doesn't want to debate. That's his business. I suspect, Mr. Dershowitz, that this set of articles is something you are writing to get people to WANT the debate and then Jimmy Carter will feel he needs to. But, he doesn't. If you debate Carter, is it going to fix the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? No. Is it going to win over those who support Carter's anti-semitic stance? No. It may win over a few, but most people listen to a debate and agree with the one they are already supportive of while trying to find fault with the statements by the guy they didn't like to begin with. We hear what others say by processing their words through our own personal filters. Of course, you have the right to debate if you want, just like Carter has the right not to. I'm sure there is someone else who shares Carter's opinions who would be happy to debate you.
Also, have you walked the streets of any big city in America lately? We have people living on the streets, children included. We have elderly people who can't afford to buy their food and their medicine. We have many working people who don't have insurance and so, can't get health care even though they work hard. I am a Jew but I choose to live here in America, as do you, Mr. Dershowitz. Shouldn't we take care of some of the problems at home and get people fired up about that, before sitting and worrying about problems in other places. Sure, I think we need to do what we can to help those in other countries, and I have always felt a special connection to Israel because of the history of so many of the world's religions that sprang from that part of the world, but I cannot believe that, when I face G-d, that he would say, "Hey, good job! You put a lot of energy into arguing over the Middle East problems, so don't worry that there were 50 people in your city that didn't have food and you didn't help them." There are still people in this country who don't have full rights. (Look at how many votes from our citizens in the military that weren't counted in the last election.) How can we tell another country what to do?
Jennifer Before you go slamming someone for spelling and grammar, give it a try yourself. Don't call the kettle black. And if you look closely at my comment , you will find many errors. But I am not correcting others.
Professor Dershowitz Great job. It is funny that some people say you are so wrong for wanting to debate JC. When that is exactly what he wanted, and asked for. And some say this does not help the peace in the middle east, by discussing this. It may not directly address the problem. But it does indirectly help by pointing out mistakes in a book written by an American Ex President. The people that buy this book and read it should know there are factual errors in it. And it is a book about a topic that is very important in our world today. So your willingness to correct these errors should be well supported. Of course you can tell, some will disagree, no matter what. But press on , you have the support of many, not just on gather, but in the world. Thank you.
The latter is relatively rare, but many Mystics could attest to that Gnosis, and do.
A very similar situation exists with the Muslims in the interpretation and subsequent use of the term jihad/Jihad.
The far less spiritual, and thus exoterically shallow in understanding, Muslim sees jihad as a 'physical' endeavor ... as we have found out, often involving the slaying of infidels.
The much more spiritual Muslims (and much more relatively rare in number) such as some Sufi's and the more mystical, are aware of the Greater Jihad, that of the improvement of the mind spiritually ... also subjective and esoteric.
The major problem in this world is that exoteric religious 'authority' has called the esoteric understandings as heretical and often of the occult, in order to scare their exoteric followers into conformity, required to participate in the "institution" of said religion.
If and when more people break free of the box of orthodoxy and seek the higher truth, they will actually come to know the truth that will set them free ... and they will kill no more, but love each other one and all.
Peace, j.
The point being, that these exoteric 'symbolizations' and 'sacraments' become 'idols' that many cannot 'see through' to the transcendent of the esoteric where real Truth in fact does exist.
People must come to the realization that the 'box' they are confined within 'by choice' with much encouragement by society (misery loves company) to stay within, do not rock the boat, the ship of state reality may get wet and fall apart ... just might be a 'good' thing if it did.
We are physical beings in a physical world ... and it came from our 'fall' from grace and it's realization. We have forgotten our Spiritual Interconnections to each and all ... so meanwhile ... it would be better to find some BALANCE in the entirety ... that IS where Spirit is found, in the center of truth, a balance point ... not 'out' at some unattainable extreme polarized end ... that is really an infinity anyway. Of course God is THERE ... but not to be experienced by us yet, as now we need Spirit to do so ... we must seek the center ... for a start, look withIN our Selves for our higher Self, our Soul ... that is the best place to find God !
When found there, we will know we are ALL ONE ... and no need to fight over the exoteric as is now being done by the exoteric peoples ...
Spirit Calls ... for Peace !
"But Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, both Southern men, said "nu-ku-lar." "
http://neo-neocon.blogspot.com/2006/01/deconstructing-nukular.html
"1976 comes around and Jimmy Carter, "nukular" scientist and peanut farmer extrordinaire, is elected to save us from ourselves. In the following four years, he scolds us for our malaise, lusts in his heart for strange women, asks the Ayatollah how we can make him happy, and fights off killer rabbits in fishing ponds.""
http://www.xomba.com/our_next_president_is_insane
Jay E.- I guess you can't argue with any of the other points I made, since you feebly picked the "nu-ku-lar" one. AND you can't find anything to say without quoting someone else? Typical.
George - Zion, or ZzzzzzION! or z IO n, is the same thing as GRAIL, or CORNUCOPIA, or FIELD-OF-PLENTY, or AMRIT.
In other words, it's not Jewish - it belongs to All-That-Is, to the I AM in all of us humans and all beings.
We have a big work of cleaning up the planet - closing the hell portals we've opened with all our warmongerings - cleaning up the toxic waste and nukes and other messes. We can do it - but not while the immature are dominating consciousness with their argumentative justifications of this 'n that.
You know, I read a book by Rebbeztin Esther Jungreis. She said that the sages consider gossip to be a worse sin than murder - because a gossip can ruin a person's life. Think about all the gossip in these Dershowitz-comments pages. Think of the waste of energy - the immature blather. We need courageous earth-healers and true-lovers of humanity, not side-takers and gossip-mongers.
One of the Great Peacemaker's directions in the Plan For Peace is "Always carry a Good message."
Remember the tremendous gift of the power of the Word.
Time to get out of this ego/humancentric garble and develop the power of our Dood Words and our Good Will and get this mess cleaned up. We CAN do it.
I am on the same page when it is to look at former President Carter, in my eyes the worst President not only in my life time, but fall all of time and wonder what is this man thinking.
I thought Carter was supposed to be this great humanitarian, but his words reveal there is something twisted and hateful going on in betwixt his aged ears. Carter's big claim to fame is the peace he "brokered" in the Middle East.
Buying off Egypt and Jordan to not make war with Israel isn't exactly shrewd diplomacy.
Give me a billion dollars a year or so and I will stay home and not make trouble with my neighbors too.
Carter violates all the unwritten rules for former Presidents by flapping his lips deriding coincidentally non-democrat Presidents, opening the door for others like Clinton to interfere and undermine sitting Presidents and their own diplomacy.
What Presidential wisdom can come from an incompetent former President.
Carter was a bad joke as a President and should just fade away.