An Open Letter to Belen Fernandez and the Salem News

Dear Belen Fernandez,

It is an absolute pleasure that you consider Artists 4 Israel and me, personally, so important as to go pilfering through the work of legitimate reporters to find negative information to post about us. HERE

While we have been traveling the globe, using art to promote peace and understanding between Arab and Jewish youth, and trying to soothe some of the trauma of war caused by Hamas, Fatah and Hezbollah murderers against innocent, Israeli children, you have been quite busy having coffee with terrorist groups and writing for a series of revolutionary periodicals that are far more inter-connected than they seem, supported by questionable, shadow sources and with far better names than editorial standards.

So, again, a great honor that you, a self-proclaimed “fantastic writer,” (it must be true – it is in your own bio) would find the time to scour the many articles about A4I to find some un-matched quotes and cobble them together in something slightly resembling a news story that really resembles an op-ed that really resembles a little girl’s diary entry. I guess Osama Bin Laden was unavailable for afternoon tea?

I apologize for the ad-hominem attacks against you in the above paragraphs. You see, unlike you, I don’t pretend to be a reporter so I am just aping you and apparently, as per your example, personal swipes count as fair reporting.

I am not a reporter. I am an advocate. I work for and on behalf of artists. I support Israel because Israel is the only country in the Middle East with freedoms and rights for all – the same freedoms and rights upon which art may be built. I support Israel because Israel supports the arts. I support Israel because when A4I brings artists, no matter what their race, gender or sexual preference, I can be sure their rights are protected. I support Israel because it is safer to be a Christian artist in Israel than in any area controlled by Arab dictators. It is actually safer to be an Arab artist in Israel than anywhere in Arab controlled areas.

You, on the other hand, are supposed to be a reporter. You are supposed to support facts and correct verifiable information. I do not define myself, as you wrongly insinuate, as a distant relative to Alan Dershowitz. Neither do I hide it. It is a fact. I could have just said relative but I chose to be as accurate as possible. Facts and accuracy –you should consider using them in your work.

Instead of facts and accuracy, you throw around weighty, inflammatory words like “illegal,” “apartheid” and “settlement.” My spine tingles with fear at these powerful words until I realize they lack any actual foundation in fact. While Artists 4 Israel focus on creating art and healing wounds, you focus on instigating and dividing. Perhaps that is the reason we champion an animal that has been rescued and healed and you mock it.

The fact is that the Security Fence you slander has been responsible for stopping over 90% of the terrorist murders of innocent Israelis – men, women and children. The fact is that the Security Fence you defame was built because the terrorists you dine with refuse to make peace with the democratic leaders of Israel. The fact is that the Security Fence you libel is a temporary solution against the murderous, terrorist overlords you support.

Posted on behalf of Craig Dershowitz