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President Carter’s Visit to the Middle East, April 15-17, 2008
When Jimmy Carter
announced that he would go to the Middle East in the middle of this past
April, his basic approach--to talk with all sides involved in the
Palestine/ Israeli conflict-- did not gain the approval of the United
States government. Secretary Condoleezza Rice opposed any meeting with
Hamas: “The United States is not going to deal with Hamas,” she said,
“and we had certainly told President Carter that we did not think
meeting with Hamas was going to help.” (Common
Dreams News Center 17 April
17, 2008) McCain said it would be a dangerous mistake to negotiate with
terrorists. Even Obama said that he could not support negotiations with
Hamas until they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel’s right to exist,
and abide by past agreements.
Carter has international status and is known throughout the Middle East
for the peace between Israel and
Egypt which he helped to bring about. Undoubtedly, he hoped to ease the
situation in Palestine
and Israel. What possibility does Carter see? In an article in The
Guardian (May 8, 2008), Carter reminded readers that “Hamas had
previously insisted on a ceasefire through out Palestine, including Gaza
and the West Bank,
which Israel had refused. Hamas then made a public proposal of a mutual
ceasefire restricted to Gaza, which the government of Israel also
rejected.” He also said, “All Arab nations have agreed to recognize
Israel fully if it will comply with key United Nation resolutions. Hamas
has agreed to accept any negotiated peace settlement between the
president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israel’s
prime minister, provided it is approved in a referendum of the
Palestinian people.”
But both Israel’s
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak refused to
meet with President Carter. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
accused Carter of holding “anti-Israel views in recent years.” Israeli
security forces refused to protect Carter during his time in Israel (Common
Dreams News Center, April 17, 2008.)
In a conversation
reported in Vox Pop (Chicago Tribune .org) Carter said, “Will Israel
ever give up Palestinian land? So far, there is no indication that the
answer is yes.” He reminds us that “most Israeli citizens agree that
Israel should exchange Palestinian land for peace.” He explained that a
narrow but very strong group holds power in Israel, and this group
prevents such an exchange. But he still insists, “The world must
stop standing idle while the people of Gaza are treated with such
cruelty.” (Guardian, May 8, 2008)
Although his
mission on the surface seems to have failed, what influence he may have
on Hamas and on some Israeli representatives we do not yet know. Whether
he successfully made a case against the violation of Palestinian human
rights with the few Israeli leaders who spoke with him (mainly to
lecture him) remains to be seen. It can be assumed that talks between
parties involved in the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict go on behind doors
not penetrable by the media. But undoubtedly United States’ continued
military aid-- billions of dollars worth-- makes the present Israeli
government reluctant to accept any compromises to gain peace.
Valerie
Yow, Triangle Tikkun |
