Jimmy Carter defended his harsh criticism p1 of 2

Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter defended his harsh criticism of Israeli policy in his latest book, saying he hopes to erode the "impenetrable wall" that blocks the U.S. public from seeing the plight of Palestinians.

The top-selling book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," has been criticized by pro-Israel groups and led to the resignation, announced this week, of Kenneth Stein, a Carter Center fellow and a longtime Carter adviser.

Carter said Friday he intended the book to provoke debate on Israeli policy that has been stifled by the news media and others, who have been "almost unanimously silent."

"It's almost a universal silence concerning anything that might be critical of current policies of the Israeli government," he said.

Carter's words have led to an outcry among Jewish groups, who have launched petitions criticizing his use of the word "apartheid" - the system of legal racial separation once used in South Africa - to describe Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

Carter, though, said he stands by his use of the word and cited the sprawling complex of fences, electric sensors and concrete slabs that Israel built along the West Bank of the Jordan River as an example of the divide.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Israel's
• treatment
• Palestinians
• Apartheid

[ha22aaw]

is it possible to criticize isreal without beeing accused of antisematism?WHY?

[zafthedon]

go carter!

[TruthJockey]

Howard Dean & Nancy Pelosi are a perfect example of politicians being scared of AIPAC - which in essence destroys any hope of a successful democracy. The debate is always filtered & framed to favor the Israeli position...if the debate EVER comes up...our democracy is RAN by folks like AIPAC & other monstrously shady organizations/lobbies.

[browneyes4]

Carter speaks the truth.

[browneyes4]

Howard Dean is an AIPAC butt whore!

[clickswitchh]

Im from Europe and we all here agree with Carter, Carter in Europe is a conservative :P

[nystagmus]

@ha22aaw and palestinians are semites. its an ethnicity, not a religion. so they use that word very haphazardly

[rachelgolem]

Israel is just like South Africa, except for the 18% HIV infection rate.

[lifelessperson1993]

@zafthedon agreed 100%

[harj2009]

how can a country which elected a genius like carter elect Bush twice ?

[PsychoSocialChange]

@renecorsinotan Please enlighten us. Which part of the history are you referring? The part where they take land from people, or the part where they take more land and displace people?

[renecorsinotan]

carter is showing his ignorance about the history of israel.