'Harris Won The Debate,' Israel 'Must Prepare For The Worst' – Dershowitz

By i24
Posted on 09/12/24 | News Source: i24

The US lawyer Alan Dershowitz told i24NEWS' Hebrew channel anchor Danielle Roth-Avneri that "Israelis have to assume that [Vice President] Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States."

Speaking to the "Morning Edition" program on Wednesday, he said that Harris won the debate with former president Donald Trump.

Israelis must plan for "the worst-case scenario," he said, adding that Israel must assume that support from the US will be reduced. The Jewish state must become "more self-reliant" than it would be in a Trump presidency.

Dershowitz said that he had left the Democratic Party after it had become "hijacked" by radical left-wing activists that are against Israel. "Many of them are pro-Hamas," he said.

He singled out Tim Walz, Harris's running mate, for saying the pro-Palestinian camp has "good points," responding that "no, they don't have good points."

"The Democrats are moving away from Israel whereas the Republicans are strongly supporting Israel," Dershowitz observed. He added that this did not mean he was now a Republican, and is still undecided about whom to vote for in November.

"I'm an independent, and I will make my decision based on the totality of the circumstances," he said.

Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor, also said that Israel can expect hostility from the academia in the US, exemplified by the anti-Israel protests that broke out across American campuses amid Israel's war with Hamas. 

Harris and Trump faced off on Tuesday night in their first presidential debate, with both expressing pro-Israel views.