Israel is not perfect by any stretch, but Ritter's article is pretty weak on balance.

The insidious manner in which the current Israeli government has manipulated the domestic political machinery of the United States to produce support for its policies constitutes nothing less than direct interference in the governance of a sovereign state.

Sure Israel lobbies our government and has for decades, but so does other nations including arab states, china, etc. Further, we exert huge influence on other nation's governments constantly, including Israel's. Use of the term "insidious" is unfortunate at best.

If the Israeli point of view were built on logic, compassion, and the rule of law, then this tilt would not constitute a problem. But the Israeli point of view is increasingly constructed on a foundation of intolerance and irresponsible unilateralism that divorces the country from global norms.

Yes and the Arab world is built on tolerance, responsibility and global norms?

In this day and age of nuclear nonproliferation (huh?), the undeclared nuclear arsenal of Israel stands as perhaps the most egregious example of how an Israel-only standard destabilizes the Middle East. It is the Israeli nuclear weapons program, including its strategic delivery systems, that is the core of instability for this very volatile region.

I think the "core of instability for this very volatile region" is Islamic extremism, not Israel's nukes. Ritter's comment lacks any depth of thought. As if Israel not having nukes would stop Islamic extremists from wanting to acquire them?

statements by Israeli officials concerning the recent National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran and its nuclear program are perhaps the best manifestation of this reality.

When did Israel say it would destroy Iran as a nation? How many Israeli terrorists does the world need to fear as nuclear suicide bombers?

Israel's current policies, rooted in ethnic and religious hatred, are the antithesis of tolerance. Israel at present can have no friends, because Israel does not know how to be a friend. Driven by xenophobic paranoia and historical grievances, Israel is embarked on a path that can only lead to death and destruction.

Israel has been honestly attempting to negotiate the creation of a palestinian state for over a decade. Maximalist demands by arabs have been more of a stumbling block than Israeli intransigence. Olmert even recently agreed to the division of Jerusalem. That this guy would write an article like this now is preposterously one-sided.

As for your comments...

First, we give Israel an unnatural advantage because "Jesus was born there" and the Bible gives special dispensation to the people there as if they're some chosen ones.

Granted this is true for a large segment of our population, but that doesn't n and of itself make it a bad policy to suport Israel. They are not a puppet but they are a solid ally and a democratic nation. As has been pointed out in the past there has never been a war between democratic nations. If the monarchies and authoritarian regimes in the arab world were also democracies we'd see a very different middle east.

Secondly, we've allowed the Jewish people to use their hole card of labeling people anti-Semitic if they criticize the Israeli policies for way too long in deference to the atrocities of WWII. It's time to retire that label. It fit during Hitler's reign. If that level of horror ever again is inflicted upon Israeli people we can pull it back out but it absolutely doesn't fit the situations it's being used today. Just because there are people that hate Jews and want to kill them doesn't mean that anyone that hates Israeli policy and would like a change of government is in that same class.

Calling anyone who criticizes Israeli policy anti-semitic is not right but "retire that label" unless a Hitler level of horror returns is stupid. Clearly anti-semitism is a big force in the arab world and elsewhere still.

2008 will likely see the creation of a palestinian state. The US should do it's part to make that happen, not abandon a long time ally and kill the opportunity.