462 Guardian readers agree: The pro-Israel lobby is a threat to free speech

Alan Dershowitz’s Jan. 13th CiF column on the use of the term “blood libel” in American political discourse – beyond its usage in the context of the “theologically based false accusations against the Jewish people” –  produced an avalanche of hostile comments.

In the essay, Dershowitz defended the use of the term, arguing that, “no ethnic or religious group should claim ownership of language that might silence free speech.”

The following comment by ArseneKnows, received 462 “Recommends.”

My guess is that the irony of complaining about the pro-Israel lobby stifling free speech, while freely posting such an accusation in a paper read by millions of readers, was somehow lost on him.

Beyond that, its almost comical to argue that the pro-Israel lobby silences criticism of Israel in the very newspaper that habitually publishes the most incendiary and unhinged attacks on the Jewish state.

If the Israel lobby indeed attempts to stifle criticism of Israel, then even the most cursory review of the Western and non-Western media (not to mention International bodies such as the UN and UNHRC) – where vitriol directed towards Israel is simply legion – would  suggest that “the lobby” is doing a simply horrible job at achieving that objective.


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