Former US President Jimmy Carter is finding it tough going as he endeavors to be a go-between in Middle East peace negotiations.He is in the Middle East this week of his own volition. He has no Presidential authority or authority from the United States. And from what I can make of it, he is not welcome at all, mainly due to the fact that he wishes to meet leaders of the terrorist group, Hamas.
Israel has snubbed him and have offered him no security for his visit. He has been unable to enter Gaza either, and has been forced to meet Hamas leaders in Egypt. It seems Carter is getting attacked from all sides, and is seen as someone who could impede the current negotiations.
Israel is critical of him, because of what they implied from his recent book, where he stated Israeli policies in the Middle East are akin to South Africa’s apartheid regime. For those comments, he was called an anti-semite, which is not a name he has ever been called before. The Fatah party of the Palestinians, and the United States, are critical of his visit because they believe that no one should talk to Hamas, as they are a terrorist organisation.
Carter is a man that many administrations have sent in as a negotiator. He is a person, who, in his time as President, brokered a peace deal between Israel and Egypt in the late 1970’s, a hard fought peace that still holds today.
Some would say that he is right to talk to the enemy. How often do we commend Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, and Bertie Ahern of Ireland for perservering with the Northern Ireland peace process, which amounted to exactly the same scenario; talking with terrorists (IRA), in order to achieve peace. Isn’t Carter simply doing the same? And isn’t he eminently qualified to do it, with his past knowledge of Middle East relations?
So we have to ask why Carter is doing this against everyone’s better judgement? Carter has said this about talking to the Hamas leadership:
“I’m just trying to understand different opinions and communicate, provide communications between people that won’t communicate with each other, so I think if he does have anything constructive to say, he or the president of Syria, Bashar Assad, then I would bring that to other people.”
Carter has nothing to gain; absolutely nothing. He is 83 years old. He is at the end of his life, and will win no political brownie points for this. His legacy as a leader, and a statesman, is already intact. Why can’t we let him try it his way, and see what happens. Or is Carter stepping on some toes here? Does George W Bush want all the glory when the handshakes happen, and the pens come out for a token peace settlement before he leaves office?
It is just hard to see such a gentleman elder statesman’s vast array of experience ignored and disregarded.
Enjoy your day.
