.ISRAEL: Sitting down with Carter
Jimmy Carter knew what he was getting into when he launched his one-man Middle East diplomacy tour. After emerging as the most prominent American critic of Israeli policy, the former president wasn't expecting to be received here with open arms.
But as the Nobel Peace Prize-winner returned to Jerusalem after meeting with Hamas leaders in Damascus, his aides said they were amazed that not a single Israeli government minister was willing to meet with him during the several days he was here last week.
"We expected a cold reception but not to be treated like this," said one Carter advisor.
Carter hailed the public acceptance by Hamas of a two-state solution on pre-1967 borders, provided the proposed peace deal was approved in a Palestinian referendum. The development, Carter said, proved Israel and the U.S. were "making a very serious mistake" in refusing to meet with the militant group, which won parliamentary elections in 2006 and now controls the Gaza Strip.
Carter laughed when asked if he thought his actions would spark debate back home about the United States' foreign policy and its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"There’s no chance for debate there,” he said, because the public discourse is hopelessly tilted in favor of Israel. “You can have the debate in Israel, but you can’t in America.”
“A debate in America is an absolutely hopeless dream,” Carter continued. “There is not a single candidate in America, for governor, for House of Representatives, for Senate or for president that would dare say anything that was not acceptable to Israel.”
Babylon & Beyond
OK I know that I am probably alone on this one, But I don't think Carter went on this trip of his own accord. I think he was sent there by Bush to play the good cop and to take a message to the leaders of the intafada. Maybe I'm crazy but I just don't buy the standard line on this one. I don't think Carter would go behind the Presidency and do something like this on his own.
What I think is happening is that Bush needed someone to take the heat and try and move an important piece of the Chess board. Not just that but if someone went with an official blessing maybe Hamas would not even sit with him at the meeting. This way is better, Carter plays the good cop gets people to sit down, and ply their card. This way we find out maybe more from these people than they would ever tell an official representative.
But as the Nobel Peace Prize-winner returned to Jerusalem after meeting with Hamas leaders in Damascus, his aides said they were amazed that not a single Israeli government minister was willing to meet with him during the several days he was here last week.
"We expected a cold reception but not to be treated like this," said one Carter advisor.
Carter hailed the public acceptance by Hamas of a two-state solution on pre-1967 borders, provided the proposed peace deal was approved in a Palestinian referendum. The development, Carter said, proved Israel and the U.S. were "making a very serious mistake" in refusing to meet with the militant group, which won parliamentary elections in 2006 and now controls the Gaza Strip.
Carter laughed when asked if he thought his actions would spark debate back home about the United States' foreign policy and its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"There’s no chance for debate there,” he said, because the public discourse is hopelessly tilted in favor of Israel. “You can have the debate in Israel, but you can’t in America.”
“A debate in America is an absolutely hopeless dream,” Carter continued. “There is not a single candidate in America, for governor, for House of Representatives, for Senate or for president that would dare say anything that was not acceptable to Israel.”
Babylon & Beyond
OK I know that I am probably alone on this one, But I don't think Carter went on this trip of his own accord. I think he was sent there by Bush to play the good cop and to take a message to the leaders of the intafada. Maybe I'm crazy but I just don't buy the standard line on this one. I don't think Carter would go behind the Presidency and do something like this on his own.
What I think is happening is that Bush needed someone to take the heat and try and move an important piece of the Chess board. Not just that but if someone went with an official blessing maybe Hamas would not even sit with him at the meeting. This way is better, Carter plays the good cop gets people to sit down, and ply their card. This way we find out maybe more from these people than they would ever tell an official representative.
posted by madtom at 7:55 PM
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