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Noted Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has a new book out, “Terror Tunnels: The Case for Israel’s Just War Against Hamas,” a collection of essays that forcefully defend Israel’s actions against Hamas, both from before the most recent fighting (Part I) and since (Part II). The book also includes a long debate (about 15 percent of the book) between Dershowitz and John Dugard, a sharp critic of Israel. Here’s an excerpt from Dershowitz’s conclusion to the book, which I think captures his argument well:

[MercoPress.com] VENEZUELA : Mysterious outbreak of hemorrhagic fever syndrome in Venezuela kills ten "An outbreak of a mysterious hemorrhagic fever syndrome in the Venezuelan state of Aragua and the country’s capital Caracas has left ten people dead in the last three weeks." Similar to Ebola, this syndrome causes patients to experience high fever, skin rashes and bleeding. It has been described as an aggressive disease that leads to a fatal deterioration of health within 72 hours. Doctors have urged government authorities to declare a state of emergency in Aragua state; however they have received resistance from a surprising source. The...

The Palestinian Authority (PA) unity government on Thursday released a reconstruction plan for Gaza ahead of an October 12 donor conference, in which it called for international donors to fork over $4 billion to rebuild after the terror war launched by Hamas. The 76-page report, released ahead of the donor conference in Cairo, said $4 billion would be needed for the "direct costs" of rebuilding the terrorist enclave, reports AFP. The demand comes despite several reports that Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists have already started rebuilding terror tunnels used to attack Israel, which were built from materials brought in previously...

While it may reject Israel’s existence, Hamas certainly agrees with Prime MInister Binyamin Netanyahu - and disagrees with the US State Department - that its “ultimate goal” is to establish an “Islamic state” (caliphate) over what it sees as the “occupied lands of Palestine.” In short, while the US disputes PM Netanyahu’s statement that “Hamas is ISIS, and ISIS is Hamas” – Hamas itself does not. China Weekly reported that, on Tuesday, senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar said in a ceremony to honor police officers killed in the latest Gaza operation that "we don't want to establish an Islamic emirate...

Despite a recent rapprochement between the rival Palestinian factions, a Fatah spokesman recently accused the Hamas terror of stealing $700 million in charity donations that were supposed to help rehabilitate the Gaza Strip after the summer’s conflict. “During the Israeli aggression against our people in Gaza, the Hamas leaders in Gaza received $700 million,” Assaf said, according to a MEMRI translation published Tuesday. “This figure is well documented, and we know the money sources. Hamas collected money from all over the world. Where is it?”“The Hamas leaders took it all,” Assaf charged.Funding the reconstruction of the Strip has become a...

Hamas and Israel may be on the verge of a terrorist swap deal, sources said Tuesday - trading convicted murderers for the bodies of fallen soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, hy"d. According to Israel Hayom, Hamas official Mushir al-Masri stated that such a deal is close to being concretized with Israeli officials. Goldin and Shaul were both killed during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza; after initially being declared abducted, both were declared dead - and analysts have said their bodies are being held by Hamas as ransom for more terrorist releases. Al-Masri hinted strongly at the deal in a...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a powerful and sobering speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 29th. He said he came from Jerusalem to speak on behalf of the Israeli people and to “expose the brazen lies spoken from this very podium against my country and the brave soldiers who defend it.” “Truth must always be spoken, especially here, in the United Nations,” the prime minister said to an audience of government leaders and delegates not used to hearing the truth spoken in the UN on issues relating to the Jewish state. Israel’s leader emphasized that his...

The US State Department said Monday in a press conference that it disagrees with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's assertion during his UN speech on Monday that "ISIS and Hamas are branches of the same poisonous tree." "Obviously, we’ve designated both as terrorist organizations, but ISIL poses a different threat to Western interests and to the United States," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. "And that’s just a fact." Later on in the speech, Netanyahu said that Iran is still a great threat to Israel's existence. He also warned that Iran is not actually willing to give up nuclear weapons but...

From A7 article: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday, in a bid to refute the smear campaign launched by Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas claiming Israel is guilty of "genocide." "Distinguished delegates, I come here from Jerusalem to speak on behalf of my people, the people of Israel," Netanyahu began. "I have come here to speak about the dangers we face [. . ] against the brazen lies about my country and about the people who defend it." Video doesn't work from A7, so You Tube link is posted.

Israel's foreign minister says Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas clearly doesn't want to make peace with Israel, calling his speech to world leaders last week "a message of hatred and incitement." Avigdor Lieberman also questioned Abbas' "legitimacy" to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people, telling reporters Monday it's clear he doesn't control the Gaza Strip, where Hamas remains in charge of security.

Israel PM Netanyahu To UN: Iran, ISIS Cannot Acquire Nuclear WeaponsBy Joel Leyden Israel News AgencyNew York — September 29, 2014 … Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the United Nations today. He again implored the global community to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Netanyahu asked the global forum: “Would you allow ISIS to acquire chemical or nuclear weapons?” Netanyahu then spoke about Operation Protective Edge, the IDF operation to protect Israeli civilians from terror rockets and tunnels. Netanyahu stated that the IDF is the most moral army in the world. He accused Hamas of committing “the real war crimes”...

Moran probably dismisses CAIR’s links to Hamas, if he has heard about them at all, as something trumped up by the “right wing.” How many other politicians have Islamic supremacists bought and paid for?

A Democratic congressman has donated funds to a political group that was implicated in a criminal fund-raising operation for the jihad group, Hamas. Thank you Congressman James Moran for his generous personal donation to @CAIRNational at #CAIRturns20,” said a tweet from Linda Sarsour, the host at a Sept. 27 fund-raiser for the jihad-linked Council on American Islamic Relations. ... Moran is a Democrat who represents the Alexandria district in northern Virginia. ... The Islamic group also gave the Democrat a “Lifetime Achievement Award” ... The Moran donation and award event highlighted the growing ties between the Democratic Party and CAIR,...

So who is behind ISIS and what do they really want from the West and why are they so focused on Syria and Iraq and what is the key to unlock their Islamist plans and how does that pertain to western Christians? Here, the key to unlock everything ISIS wants is hidden deep in a Turkish vault which we will reveal in one word: Dabiq. Us, the x-Muslim Christians who are the collaborators with the western crusaders perhaps can explain a thing or two for you from what we know; Dabiq is what ISIS is all about, preparing the way...

Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah reached a “comprehensive” agreement Thursday for the return of their “unity government” in Gaza after two days of talks in Cairo, negotiators from both sides said. “Fatah and Hamas have reached a comprehensive agreement for the unity government to return to the Gaza Strip,” Jibril Rajoub of Fatah told AFP. Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk and Fatah’s head of delegation, Azam al-Ahmad, confirmed that an agreement had been reached. “The unity government will supervise the crossings (into Gaza)… to facilitate the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip,” Abu Marzuk said. He said the two...

Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel on Friday of a “genocidal crime” in Gaza, telling the United Nations negotiations had failed and the time for Palestinian independence had come, and drawing a sharp rebuke from Washington, AFP reports. Abbas vowed to seek war crimes prosecutions against Israel over what he called the 50-day “war of genocide” in Gaza that allegedly killed 2,140 Palestinian Arabs—at least half of whom were projected to be terrorists, according to expert analysis. […] The US State Department reacted with a tersely-worded statement, calling the speech provocative and saying it would undermine peace efforts....

President Barack Obama favorably quoted and praised on Wednesday in his speech before the United Nations a controversial Muslim cleric whose organization has reportedly endorsed the terror group Hamas and supported a fatwa condoning the murder of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Obama in his remarks offered praise to controversial cleric Sheikh Abdallah Bin Bayyah and referred to him as a moderate Muslim leader who can help combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL or ISIS) radical ideology. However, Bin Bayyah himself has long been engulfed in controversy for many of his views, including the reported backing of...

President Obama on Wednesday delivered a speech at the United Nations filled with his usual soaring rhetoric of global collectivism and the importance of “international norms.” But the president also displayed a shocking naivete about global affairs, religion, Islam — a Pollyannaish interpretation on the state of the world and America’s role in it. Although Mr. Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize just eight months into office, the president made his annual trip to the ineffectual world council to deliver a call to war. “Ladies and gentlemen, we come together at a crossroads between war and peace, between disorder and...

Two major groups of Arab sates questioned Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas in Gaza, in addresses to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday in Geneva. Describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as self-defense is both “legally incorrect” and “morally abhorrent,” said Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. […] Switzerland, Ireland, and Iceland were among the few Western countries to address to address the UNHRC under Agenda Item 7. Ireland condemned both Israel and Hamas as unacceptable for attacking innocent civilians during the Gaza war. With respect to Israeli attacks in Gaza, Ireland said,...

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanded Friday an end to Israeli occupation, telling the United Nations that the time for Palestinian independence had come. Abbas also vowed to seek war crimes prosecutions against Israel over what he called the 50-day “war of genocide” in Gaza that killed 2,140 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and left the enclave in ruins. “There is an occupation that must end now. There is a people that must be freed immediately,” Abbas said in an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York. “The hour of independence of the state of Palestine has arrived.” Abbas, however, did...