Alan Dershowitz Says He's No Longer a Democrat After 'Anti-Jewish, Anti-Israel' Democratic Convention

Prominent Democratic attorney and political commentator Alan Dershowitz told talk show host Zev Brenner on "Talkline with Zev Brenner," that he was leaving the Democratic Party.

Dershowitz cited the recently concluded Democratic National Convention which he said gave legitimacy to anti-Israel speakers, and anti-Israel protesters outside the gathering.  

"It was the most anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, anti-Zionist convention I've experienced," he said. "I was disgusted at the Democratic National Convention. Absolutely disgusted."

“They had more anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist people who were speaking, starting with [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] – a miserable, anti-Zionist bigot,” Dershowitz said. “Then of course they had [Sen. Elizabeth] Warren, who is one of the most anti-Jewish people in the Senate. Then they had Bernie Sanders, one of the most anti-Jewish people in the Senate.”

"I am no longer a Democrat. I am an Independent," he added.

Dershowitz won't decide who to support for president until after November 1. "I want to see how they deal with Iran. I want to encourage the current administration to support Israel."

In truth, it was an open secret for the last few years that Dershowitz was disgusted with the Democratic Party. Still, the open break with the party was something of a surprise given that he has always described himself as a  "liberal Democrat."

“I cannot be associated with the party that features as its speakers, AOC, [Al] Sharpton, Liz Warren and Bernie Sanders,” he said. “That’s not my party.”

Dershowitz fell out of favor with the left for good when he strongly defended Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial. But no one will ever confuse Dershowitz with a  conservative Republican. His opposition to the Democrats is based on their blatant antisemitism.

Jerusalem Post:

He added that while the Democrats instructed the “anti-Jewish” speakers not to discuss Israel, they still platformed them, “legitimat[ing]” them.

Dershowitz further charged that Gov. Josh Shapiro had his career stalled in the party because of his Jewish identity.

“I understand that if his name [were] John Sheppard, not Josh Shapiro, he would have been the democratic nominee,” Dershowitz said, later assuring, “I don’t think that Kamala Harris is antisemitic. I don’t think that she didn’t pick Shapiro just because he was Jewish, [or] just because she doesn’t like Jews…I think that she got a lot of pressure. We know she got a lot of pressure from the hard left of the Democratic Party, and she knew that if she nominated Josh Shapiro…there would have been demonstrations…”

The lawyer later said that he was not Shapiro’s biggest supporter, in particular, due to his negative comments on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Dershowitz is not likely to be followed out of the party by other liberal Democratic Jews. The American Jewish community voted 70% for Biden in 2020. The Democratic Party tradition is strong among American Jews despite a wavering of support for Israel.

I agree with Dershowitz that Democrats have bent over backward to accede to the pro-Palestinian wing of the party. That's why someone like AOC was given a prime-time speaking slot at the convention. They betrayed an ally and they betrayed the people of Israel.