What's Carter Doing in the Middle East?

Former US President Jimmy Carter just concluded talks with Palestinian Hamas leaders in Cairo, Egypt. First, it was the turn of the US Presidential elects to snub the visit. Now, bloggers from the region join them to rebuff it.

Will from Palestinian blog Kabobfest sarcastically writes:

His trip undermines the American/Israeli policy of negating the Palestinian elections after years of demanding them. It causes ripples in their brilliant peace-forwarding vision of ignoring half the Palestinians, the same half in charge of Gaza.

Will continues:

What will this nutty ex-Nobel prize winner suggest next? We include Syria and Iran in regional peace talks? Ha!

The Sudanese Thinker, from Sudan, says Carter's trip to the Middle East:

… is based on well-meaning intentions but is ultimately flawed thanks to the “super religious, no-comprise” mindset of the people he wants to talk to. I emphasize the “well-meaning intentions” part because Jimmy’s characterization as someone evil and anti-Semitic is something I disagree with. I understand that the title of his notorious book is provocative but that doesn’t mean he is what he’s accused of. After all, it was Carter who negotiated the peace deal between Egypt and Israel.

He further adds:

I don’t think Carter gets that Hamas – like al-Qaeda – isn’t a typical rational enemy. They’re religious right-wing radicals hellbent on regaining back what they perceive to be “the land of Islam.” This is why I doubt Hamas can ever agree to a true and long-lasting peace. But hey, I give Jimmy credit for at least trying. Plus, you never know. He might actually be able to convince Hamas to release Gilad Shalit.

From Israel, Aussie Dave writes:

He might be foolish and decrepit, but Jimmy Carter also happens to be an ex President of the United States. So when he decides to meet up with a terrorist group dedicated to Israel’s destruction, said terrorist group feels legitimized.

He also concludes:

I have to agree with Shimon Peres on this one. Carter has caused great damage to Israel and the peace process, and continues to do so.

Rabbi Yohana closely examines Carter's stances on Tibet and Darfur. Turning his attention to the Middle East, the blogger explains:

Today, Carter roams around Israel, visits Sderot, gets rebuffed by Israel’s leaders, and ignored by the Shin Bet. Any goodwill created when they inked the Peace deal with Egypt nearly 30 years ago has evaporated. I just have one suggestion for the Israelis – pay up. For a mere 5 million of so, Carter could “re-examine” his views on the subject. He could “have a new understanding” and become more of an ally. We could get a ghost writer from the Shalem Center to whip together a new book too.

As it says in Pirkei Avot, “K’ne l’cha chaver”, “acquire for yourself a friend.” It will do Israel a lot more good to support Jimmy Carter with backsheesh, than to rebuff him.

Still in Israel, Batya questions Carter's impartiality and says:

Former US President Jimmy Carter sees the world through distorted lenses. Yes, that's the nicest way I can describe him.
He blames Israel for everything.

But Carter has a still managed to garner the support of a new fan in the Middle East. Egyptian blogger Zeinobia tells us how much she loves the former US president, saying:

Seriously I love this man more and more. This man seems from the few people who know the true meaning of Peace Negotiations , the true meaning of Peace negotiations in my humble point of view is to sit down with everyone involved in the fight or the conflict even those bloody ones and to listen to them in order to reach to point of agreement.

I really respected him for his daring decision to have a direct channel with Hamas and Syria as primary parties in the conflict of the middle east regardless of what is said , regardless of what the American , Israeli and Egyptian Media are saying , this is what it should be for the sake of everyone in the Middle East if we truly want a just unbiased Peace.

4 comments

  • Bill

    It’s great that Jimmy Carter is doing what he doing. He’s helping the Palestinians instead of going along with the Israel lobby holocaust on the arabs. WAKE UP AMERICA SEE WHAT ISRAEL HAS DONE TO THE KILLINGS OF ARABS

  • In regards to Hamas, which part of the following…

    ..broadcasting children’s shows with Mickey Mouse and Big Bird look-a-likes, to indoctrinate children 5 and under to hate Jews..

    ..sending 8-year olds to military training camps where they learn how to kill Jews..

    ..strapping explosives filled with nails, razor blades, and rat poison to the chests of 15-16 year olds and sending them out to murder children and teenagers in Israel…

    ..firing rockets at Israeli women and children from launchers located on top of mosques, schools, and hospitals…

    ..announcing to the world that they are proud of using women and children as human shields, and lauding “dead children” as being the strongest weapon against the Zionists…

    …stealing and hoarding food, fuel, medicine, and clothing just to create a humanitarian that Hamas can blame on Israel..

    Did people NOT understand?

    Carter is a traitor and a moron who hates Israel as much as Hamas does Carter went on a psychopathic rant yesterday saying that “Israel is starving to death the ‘Palestinians’ in Gaza. “This is the worst humanitarian crisis I have ever seen,” he babbled.

    What makes these comments so egregious is that the A-hole NEVER EVEN VISITED GAZA!

    Oh, Carter visited Sderot where women and children have been terrorized 24 hours a days, 365 days a year, and seven straight years by a barrage of rockets carrying explosives mixed with ball bearings, nails, razor blades, and rat poison for maximum carnage.

    Yet, Carter brushed off the 2,555 straight days of terror, including two years worth AFTER Israel totally withdrew from Gaza with a “firing rockets at civilians is wrong,” comment.

    Yeah, Jimmy. It certainly is “wrong” to fire rockets at Israeli daycare centers. schools, hospitals in an effort to kill, maim, and traumatize every, single resident of Sderot — especially children.

    It is also wrong to draw a psychotic “moral equivalence” comparison between an unsubstantiated number of “dead children,” who were recruited and trained as soldiers by Hamas to kill Jews, and/or used as human shields, with innocent Israeli children deliberately targeted by Hamas rockets.

    Last Week, Hamas’ top Muslim cleric declared that Hamas’ destruction of Israel is just the beginning of a glorious conquest of the Western world, beginning with Rome, and stretching to the European and North American continents.

    While you were kissing terrorist butt, Jimmy, and crying about Gaza, a place you didn’t even see, your Hamas buddies blew up a truck convoy of food and fuel supplies to Gaza after Israel relaxed restrictions at the border crossing.

  • […] Carter first announced his intentions to meet with Hamas, he was criticized around the world and in the United States for being naïve.  Although the naïve accusation seems unwarranted after […]

  • […] This article also appears in Voices without Votes. Posted by Amira Al Hussaini Share […]

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