Finkelstein Accuses Dershowitz of Plagiarism in The Case for Israel

Professor Alan Dershowitz, author of The Case for Israel.

Uh, Norman Finkelstein, your response.

Well, I appreciate Alan Dershowitz's, uh,

seriousness, at least in these remarks.

I have no intention whatsoever of getting involved in an ad

hominem, uh, debate with Mr. Showitz, Dershowitz.

I'm interested in the facts.

I was asked to come in and discuss his new book.

I went home, purchased one copy. In fact, I purchased two

copies. I read the book very carefully.

I did what, what someone serious does with a book.

I read the text. I went through the footnotes.

I went through it very carefully, and there's only one conclusion one can

reach having read the book, and this is a scholarly

judgment. It's not an ad hominem attack.

Mr. Dershowitz has concocted a fraud.

In fact, Mr. Dershowitz has concocted a fraud

which amazingly, in large parts, he

plagiarized from another f- fraud.

Now, I found that pretty shocking.

I found it shocking coming from a Harvard professor.

I find it shocking coming from any professor.

Now, we have to cut off at one point.

No.

I just wanna warn everybody here that although I'm not a litigious person-

Mm-hmm

... when you make allegations of, of plagiarism-

I'm prepared to s- I'm, I'm prepared to support the-

When you make allegations of plagiarism, that's a technical-

That's right. Yeah

... term-

I agree

... which has great legal implications.

I agree.

And, uh, you know, I can't obviously sit quietly by and-

You shouldn't

... and accept an allegation-

Okay. Well, let's-

Let's look at the evidence

... of, of plagiarism. All right.

Let's, let's look at the evidence.

Let, let's just, let's-

Who is the plagiarism from?

Okay. Let's look at the evidence. In the first two

chapters of your book,

you extensively reproduce all of Joan

Peters' pages in her book.

I read it carefully. In 1984-

Sh- show me, show

me one sentence

I'm going to show you.

Show me one sentence that parallels-