I hadn't heard this before, but I'm wondering if you might think that these points might be worthy of consideration:
1. Anti-Israeli sentiment, (or at least pro-Palestinian sentiment) has been quite popular among American Jews, something that I've always had trouble understanding and rationalizing. However, in the past several decades the Republican party as well as a very large segment of the Christian community has made a particular effort to reach out to Jews and not merely take them for granted as the Democrats have for generations. The Republican/Christian outreach has included a strong and vocal support for the state of Israel.
Particularly during this last election, polling data that I've seen suggests that many Jews are reacting much more favorably to the Republican message, and voted for George Bush this time in much larger numbers than in times past. I am wondering if it's possible that Mr. Dershowitz is changing his opinion on the matter of Israel, as it seems many other Jews are doing as well? If so, would it not be appropriate to welcome Mr. Dershowitz to the correct side of the aisle?
2. I am not seeing anything of an anti-Israel nature in this current article from Mr. Dershowitz, in fact quite the contrary:
"Arafat was personally responsible for the murders of thousands of innocent Israelis, hundreds of innocent Americans, and countless others. Like other ethnically motivated butchers before him, he delighted in killing Jewish children, as he did in several well-planned attacks on Israeli schools and nurseries. He also personally ordered the murder of hundreds of his own people who disagreed with him or collaborated with Israel. Never a man to tolerate dissent, he employed bullets rather than arguments to respond to his critics. "
These do not sound to me like the words of someone who is anti-Israel. He is solidly endorsing the right of existence for the state of Israel, and similarly criticising the tactics and goals of the Palestinians. Would it not be appropriate to regard this article as a firm and solid endorsement of the state of Israel? I see nothing in this article to contradict this assumption.
The numbers I saw (24%) don't look very significant to me, considering that Kerry would have gladly watch Israel languish and die.