Israel's Gift to the World

New York Post ^ | May 4, 2008 | Alan M. Dershowitz

[moderatewolverine]

As Israel celebrates its 60th birthday, the world should recognize the enormous gifts the Jewish state has given the world. Israel has exported more lifesaving medical technology to the far-flung corners of the earth than any nation of comparable size. It has done more to protect the environment, to promote literature, music, the arts and sciences, to spread agricultural advances and to fight terrorism within the rule of law.

Israel has created a legal system that is the envy of the world, with a Supreme Court that is open to all with few, if any, restrictions on its jurisdiction. As America's most liberal Supreme Court Justice William Brennan observed when he visited Israel in 1988...

[goldstategop]

Its an unappreciated gift. The Number One target of demonization and hate in the world today is the Jewish State.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[rbg81]

I detest Dershowitz in many ways. The one thing he has consistently done right, however, is publicly stand up for Israel when most of his liberal (Jewish) buddies were taking cover.

[rbg81]

I detest Dershowitz in many ways. The one thing he has consistently done right, however, is publicly stand up for Israel when most of his liberal (Jewish) buddies were taking cover.

[Twinkie]

The Jewish people and the nation of Israel prove the old adage that “no good deed goes unpunished”. Uncle Sam gets a good dose of this as well. - I have often wondered which of the contributions of educated and talented Jewish people - doctors, composers and musicians, scientists and researchers and others Germany (and Hitler) were punishing the German Jews for giving to what was then their country.

[DManA]

The history of Jews is that they succeed wherever they are. So to ascribe the achievements of individual Jews to the State Of Israel is a crock.

[DManA]

I should say wherever they are given half a chance.

[JCG]

Israel has exported more lifesaving medical technology to the far-flung corners of the earth than any nation of comparable size. It has done more to protect the environment, to promote literature, music, the arts and sciences, to spread agricultural advances and to fight terrorism within the rule of law.

In contrast there's this...

No Arab country spends more than 0.2 percent of its gross national
product on scientific research, and most of that money goes toward
salaries. By contrast, the United States spends more than 10 times that
amount.

Fewer than one in 20 Arab university students pursue scientific
disciplines.

There are only 18 computers per 1,000 people in the Arab world. The
global average is 78 per 1,000.

Only 370 industrial patents were issued to people in Arab countries
between 1980 and 2000. In South Korea during that same period, 16,000
industrial patents were issued.

No more than 10,000 books were translated into Arabic over the entire
past millennium, equivalent to the number translated into Spanish each
year.  [Ephasis added]

Information published in The Chronicle of Higher Education [03/05/2004] here:
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:W44FCLr4u-YJ:chronicle.com/free/v50/i26/26a03601.htm+%22Eleven+centuries+ago+an+Islamic+renaissance%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=opera



----

Send treats to the troops...
Great because you did it!
www.AnySoldier.com

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]

----------------------------

[cowdog77]

The Number One target of demonization and hate in the world today is the Jewish State.”
___________________
It’s virulent hatred and it defies explanation.

[NilesJo]

The history of Jews is that they succeed wherever they are. So to ascribe the achievements of individual Jews to the State Of Israel is a crock.

Wouldn't you consider their system of jurisprudence to be a product of the state of Israel as opposed to an individual achievement?

I don't think you can separate the success of the state from the creativity of its individuals and the system of governance that they adopt.

I think that the author's point is to contrast the achievements of Israel which adopted western style democracy, a value system honoring individual rights, and free market capitalism with the oppressive and corrupt societies of its middle-eastern neighbors.

[bert]

......The history of Jews is that they succeed wherever they are....

but have been remarkably unsuccesful at holding their land or governing themselves very long.

[freerepublic_or_die]

...the world should recognize the enormous gifts the Jewish state has given the world.

Alan Dershowitz, you truly are a moron. Appreciation? Love? How about just stop trying to kill us???

[Convert from ECUSA]

I’ll say this for Dershowitz - he seems to get it right on Israel, but that’s it.

Memo to Israel: Thank you for all the many gifts and blessings you have given to the world.