While Dershowitz is an outspoken supporter of Israel, Dershowitz self-identifies as « Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine ».[23] Dershowitz engaged in highly publicized debates with a number of other commentators, including Meir Kahane , Noam Chomsky, and Norman Finkelstein. When former U.S. President Jimmy Carter had his book Palestine : Peace Not Apartheid (2006) published—in which he argues that Israel’s control of Palestinian land is the primary obstacle to peace—Dershowitz challenged Carter to a debate at Brandeis University. Carter declined, saying, « I don’t want to have a conversation even indirectly with Dershowitz. There is no need to debate somebody who, in my opinion, knows nothing about the situation in Palestine. »[24] Carter did address Brandeis in January 2007, but only Brandeis students and staff were allowed to attend. Dershowitz was invited to respond on the same stage only after Carter had left.[25]
He also took part in the Doha Debates at Georgetown University in April 2009, where he spoke against the motion « this House believes it’s time for the US to get tough on Israel, » with Dore Gold, President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Speakers for the motion were Avraham Burg, former Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and former Speaker of the Knesset ; and Michael Scheuer, former Chief of the CIA Bin Laden Issue Station. Dershowitz’s side lost the debate, with 63 percent of the audience voting for the motion.[26]