By Randall P. Lieberman, Staff Writer

Professor Alan M. Dershowitz, 75, considered “Israel’s single most visible defender in the United States,” gave an optimistic assessment of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations during a Dec. 17 appearance at Congregation B’nai Israel in Boca Raton as part of the synagogue’s inaugural speaker series.

Dershowitz said late summer of 2014 will be a critical period in Israeli history.

“There’s no better time for Israel to make a deal with the Palestinians,” said Dershowitz, who recently returned from Israel where he had face-to-face meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.

Dershowitz continued: “Hamas has never before been weaker. It’s in Israel’s best interest to resolve the Palestinian issue by making a generous offer. Imagine what a ‘peace dividend’ that would bring.”

Dershowitz reminded the audience of the viewpoint of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the great American Orthodox rabbi, during the Six Day War in 1967: “Rabbi Soloveitchik said our traditions tell us that not one single Jewish life is worth re-capturing the Kotel (Western Wall). We don’t substitute lives for places and land.”

Dershowitz said that Israel has enough land, even without the West Bank settlements.

“Israel shouldn’t make this decision based on land,” he said. “Israel’s major resources are its intellectual capital and work ethic. No country in the history of the world has ever contributed more in a 65-year span. It’s in the spirit of Herzl and the spirit of Ben-Gurion to make a deal.”

Dershowitz said that Israel should deal with the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank and not worry about Hamas and the Gaza Strip. He said the Palestinians would overthrow Hamas after there is a West Bank peace treaty.

When asked whether Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas could ensure peace, Dershowitz said: “It’s really a three-fold question: Can he negotiate? Yes. Can he make an agreement? Possibly. Can he make peace? It’s worth trying.”

He said Abbas told him that he would now take the deal that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made to him in 2008 if it was put on the table again.

Dershowitz said that the majority of Israelis and Palestinians want a deal for peace, but don’t believe it will happen, so there is pressure on both leaders.

Rabbi Robert A. Silvers, Congregation B’nai Israel’s senior rabbi, joked: “For someone who claims to have been raised to be skeptical by his yeshiva upbringing, that was certainly an optimistic point of view.”

Dershowitz criticized the recent U.S.-Iran deal.

“Iran got too much and gave up too little,” he said. “Iran doesn’t have to stop its research and development, is still developing rockets capable of carrying nuclear tips, and there’s been no ceasing of the heavy water plant’s activity.”

While Dershowitz believes President Obama is committed “not to allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons on his watch,” he said Israeli officials are more concerned that the deal doesn’t curtail Iran’s ability to one day have anuclear program.

The United States and Israel see the situation differently since the U.S. is 8,000 miles away and has “bunker-busting” bombs that can be used on Iran’s nuclear facilities much later in the process, Dershowitz said. The U.S. also believes its intelligence will be able to monitor Iranian nuclear efforts, while Israel doesn’t agree with that, he said.

Still, Dershowitz believes that if Israel is able to make peace with the Palestinians, it will bring leverage to the U.S. and other countries negotiating with Iran about nuclear weapons.

While Dershowitz reserves the right for Israel to have to do whatever it feels it must do to defend itself, he cautioned against feeling the United States has abandoned Israel over this conflict.

Among the questions, Daniel Ackerman, a recent Florida State University graduate, and a co-director of the Future Leaders of Israel — a nationwide, student-focused organization that creates a bridge between pro-Israel students on college campuses — asked Dershowitz for advice how to be successful in organizing campus events.

Dershowitz responded to “never shut off the other side and make it an occasion to debate. Forget about the extremists and aim for people with open minds.”

Dershowitz also sprinkled anecdotes about his life and career, and signed copies of his new autobiography “Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law.”

For more information about Congregation B’nai Israel’s speaker series, call 561-241-8118.