Letter to the editor: Thank you, Alan Dershowitz

OPINION:

Lawyer and retired Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz’s decision to leave the Democratic Party was right on the money.

This is an old story. In 2002, during Yasser Arafat’s Second Intifada, William Safire penned a column, “Democrats vs. Israel,” in which he wrote, “Most Democratic Party leaders and liberal media voices have distanced themselves from Israel.”

But losing people such as the masterly Mr. Dershowitz will be costly for the Democrats. In 2011, Ed Koch helped Republican Bob Turner win Anthony Weiner’s former congressional seat to “send a message” to then-President Barack Obama for his poor Israel policy.

Today, the Jewish people face an unprecedented threat. In this context, Mr. Dershowitz is right not to want to be a member of a discriminatory club. This beloved figure deserves thanks for his principled stance.

ANDREW DELANEY

St. Louis