The case for peace : how the Arab-Israeli conflict can be resolved /

The Case for Peace may not be the best book to turn to for an academic or scholarly view on the problems of the Middle East. After enumerating several political barriers to a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians and offering ways to overcome them, popular author Dershowitz (Harvard Law) discusses how to deal with "the Hatred Barriers to Peace." The geopolitical barriers discussed include proposals for a binational Arab-Jewish state, return of the Palestine refugees to their homes in Israel, terrorism, and Iran's nuclear threat. In much of part 2, Dershowitz counterattacks several authors, including Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, and Alexander Cockburn, who have criticized his laudatory writing about Israel. He accuses them of being not only unfair critics of the Jewish state, but hostile to Jews in general. Dershowitz maintains that criticism approaching overt antisemitism can be found in many places, including American university Middle East studies programs, and among numerous British and European intellectuals. He charges that proposals by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to boycott American companies dealing with Israel is not only unfair, but manifests hostility to Jews. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Comprehensive collections, upper-division undergraduate and above. D. Peretz emeritus, SUNY at Binghamton

While holding out hope for a settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, this lively polemic carries on the fierce war of words over the conflict. Harvard Law professor Dershowitz, author of The Case For Israel, feels that, with Arafat?s death and a new Palestinian leadership, prospects for peace have brightened. He endorses the ?obvious? two-state solution suggested by Ehud Barak?s ill-fated 2000 proposals and the recent non-governmental Geneva accords, involving Israel?s withdrawal from Gaza and most of the West Bank (except for some large Jewish settlements), divided sovereignty over Jerusalem and some ?recognition? of Palestinian refugees by Israel without an absolute ?right of return.? Dershowitz continues to back such controversial Israeli actions as the targeted assassination of suspected terrorists and the construction of the West Bank security wall, but acknowledges a common interest in peace which must be protected from extremists on both sides. He is less conciliatory toward outside supporters of the Palestinians, whom he accuses of opposing peace and seeking ?the destruction of the Jewish State,? citing everything from anti-Semitic ravings in the Arab press to Western academics who violate his 28-point guidelines for separating legitimate criticism of Israel from anti-Semitism. He particularly targets the ?real and acknowledged? conspiracy of ?anti-Israel, anti-peace, anti-truth zealots? Noam Chomsky, Alexander Cockburn and Norman Finkelstein and offers a detailed rebuttal of Finkelstein?s recent anti-Dershowitz broadside Beyond Chutzpah. In keeping with the vitriolic conventions of the debate-over-the-debate-over the Middle East, he bombards opponents with inflammatory charges based on sometimes tendentious readings of skimpily contextualized remarks; readers trying to substantiate them must often follow long trails of footnotes to other sources. Dershowitz presents his usual vigorous case, but not the judicious treatment these issues cry out for. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.