Jimmy Carter
Once again, former President Jimmy Carter is to be commended for taking the initiative toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The announcement that he will meet next week in Damascus with Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas, is consonant with a March 1, 2008 poll by the leading Israeli newspaper - Haaretz - that found 64 percent of Israelis favor direct talks with Hamas. Only 28 percent were opposed. (Hamas was created years ago with the critical support of both the Israeli and U.S. governments as a counterweight to the Palestine Liberation Organization.)
An impressive number of retired top Israeli and American government officials have called for - or believe there should be - negotiations with Hamas, the organization which controls Gaza, presently under an Israeli siege.
Both United Nations and European Union officials have demanded that the Israeli government lift the siege or blockade which is severely depriving Palestinian civilian families of needed medicine, food, electricity, clean water, fuel and other critical life-saving supplies and materials. Gaza has become the world’s largest prison with 1.5 million inmates - many sick or dying - making that tiny enclave a major humanitarian crisis that invites moral and political denunciation by world leaders.
In addition, during the hostilities over the past year, Palestinians have suffered at least 300 civilian casualties to every Israeli civilian casualty.
The major party Presidential candidates - McCain, most offensively for one who says he stands against individual and collective torture - and Clinton and Obama - distanced themselves from Carter’s forthcoming initiative.
McCain, renewing his fealty to Washington’s Puppet Show, condemned Carter’s move, while Clinton and Obama declared they disagreed with Carter.
It is time for all retired military, diplomatic and national security officials from both parties who agree with Carter - and there are many - to band together and launch the Washington Peace Show leading to what a majority of Palestinians and Israelis want - a viable two-state solution.
It is remarkable that the Republican and Democratic candidates for President of the United States stand in opposition to 64 percent of Israeli public opinion - and in opposition to leading former Israeli intelligence chiefs and foreign ministers - who want negotiations with Hamas.
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Onward
Ralph Nader
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