Dershowitz To Defend Israeli Extremist Kahane

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz will represent an extreme nationalist Israeli politician in a suit against the U.S. State Department.

Last month the State Department, in an unprecedented move, stripped American born Rabbi Meir Kahane of his U.S. citizenship because he is a member of the Israeli Knesset.

Kahane advocates expelling all Arabs from Israel and imposing ancient biblical law.

Dershowitz says the State Department is acting for political reasons because legally an American citizen can renounce but can not be denied his citizenship.

"The State Department is trying to narrow debate in the Middle East by refusing him the right to debate and move freely in the U.S," said Dershowitz, who last Friday filed the suit on Kahane's behalf.

Unprecedented Action

The State Department has never before stripped someone of their U.S. citizenship for serving in a foreign government, said Manhattan Attorney Barry Slotnick, who has served as Kahane's personal lawyer and will be representing him in this case along with Dershowitz and The American Civil Liberties Union.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir and Minister without Portfolio Moshe Arens both served in the Knesset and retained their U.S. citizenships. American born Queen Noor of Jordan retained her citizenship when she was crowned.

"Kahane is an individual whose right to free speech has been [removed] for political consideratons. I do not believe the State Department has this right under present law," said Slotnick.

Dershowitz, who has debated against Kahane on the subject of deporting Israel's Arab citizens, says he supports Kahane's right to citizenship despite his personal objection to Kahane's political views.

The State Department has also restricted the movement of Nehdi Terzi, the Palestine Liberation Organization's United Nation's observer, who Dershowitz had planned to debate at Harvard at the end of the month.

Dershowitz said he wants to be able to debate both Kahane and Terzi. "I want the right to debate and win, to convince the public of the wrongness of their views."