Washington File

As with Jimmy Carter's and more recently Mearsheimer and Walt's book "The Israel Lobby And U.S. Foreign Policy", these are credible and knowledgible academics and a respected world statesman who thoroughly researched these subjects of which they write. The mainsream media, particularly on the Mearsheimer and Walt book refuse to promote meaningful dialogue and discussion on these topics for fear of bearing the Israel lobby's wrath.This is an affront to democracy and free speech when well meaning decent people are shamed by accusations of anti-semitism and bigotry and therefore silenced from having these discussions.

Thank you Jimmy Carter!

To someone proud of Canada’s multiculturalism, “a state for people of one religion” sounds pretty much the same as “one people, one state, and one leader”. I think Nazism, Zionism, Apartheid and all other variations of 19th century nationalism should have died with the end of World War II.

Yes, Jews have endured some 2000 years of appalling treatment (including genocide) at the hands of Europeans (and Canadians and Americans). But why did the Palestinians have to pay for this?

Chis,

You should pick your friends a little more carefully. Contrary to what see on American TV, World War I started long before April 1917, and World War II started long before December 1941. If you are expecting meaningful US help to repel an attack on Canada, you had better pray that our enemies simultaneously send a Zimmerman telegram and/or bomb Pearl Harbor.

Wow! I guess we have all been sleeping all this time. It seems to me we've been trying to force acceptable accomodations for both sides for decades. It clearly has not been effective. I'm amazed at how many people think we can all sit down and have tea, shake hands, or be forced to shake hands,hash out a solution that makes everybody not involved happy, like it's a botched sports game. Everybody should come together and force peace on Isreal and Palestine but the United States should stay out of everything because they are impeding the process? I guess in peoples blind hatred for the U.S. we can forget who has been trying to help the peace process between the two. In hateful observation, the U.S. is meddling in everyone elses business but it's ok for every other country in the World to not Meddle but solve the problems. How hipocritical. What obvious and shameful dislike for a country that has sacrificed to no end for other peoples well being around the world. This is not a T.V. show where the woman is saved by the hero, they save the child clearly headed in the path of danger, the whole city cheers, and the hero and the woman kiss for all to see them enjoy their moment in glory, all in a 1hr special on CBC. Seems some people think we can script a solution without a hitch. We can save the city,the woman,the child,and get the bad guy and everybody can stand by and watch the perfect scenario play out and even join in the celebration at the end in a shameful attempt to somehow share the credit for something they were afraid to get involved with in the first place. Only the U.N. could direct it of course. I had no idea we lived in such a perfect World.
By the way, if we in Canada are ever attacked, who's the first country coming to save your rearend? Have a little respect for our friends to the south.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Chris

One of Mr. Carter's messages seems to be that responsibility for the current state of aggression in Palestine belongs to all of us everywhere, from the terms of the Sykes-Picot act through to the partition of Palestine and down to the present day, successive governmental regimes from all nations have contributed to the present apartheid. All this talk of peace before, during or after war reminds me of the whole chicken or egg, which came first nonsense. It means nothing while distracting from the real topic under discussion, yet at the same time brilliantly serves to demonstrate how easy it is to undermine productive dialogue with irrelevant minutae. Idiocies aside for the moment, it doesn't mean we give up on the dialogue, we just have to focus more. Both Israelis and Palestinians are guilty of horrific atrocities against civilian populations and both sides must be brought to heel if peace is ever to be achieved. That there is a small number of lunatics on both sides aggravating toward violence is not surprising in the least, but more importantly, there is far too much acceptance of the status quo - represented well by some of the posters here - from the international community to put pressure on the perpetrators and their protectors to put an end to it. To a western observer, a Palestinian suicide bomb is an act of terror while an Israeli missile attack on a public street is collateral damage and a justifiable response. Even more obscene is the lack of condemnation of both sides responsible for these horrors without devolving into a name-calling, mud-slinging, shouting match. Arbitrary support for one side or the other must end in favour of a more balanced approach where both sides are brought together and forced toward an accommodation of each other's rights in the region, and as soon as the USA ceases to be the major impediment to this process the better for us all.

Thank you for clearly making my point. In your own words you have described exactly what I stated. How do you think the "more or less" peacefull places on Earth have achieved justice my friend? In reality, most children know how to stay clean but they choose to get dirty. Please don't take me the wrong way. I am whole-heartedly in favour of a peaceful solution. I sense that you are very passionate on this issue and I respect your opinion. I, however as you have probably figured out,don't agree in the let's all be friends, can't we all just get along approach.
Nowhere has this ever worked. It would be one of the greatest accomplishments in the World if it did. It simply is not reality or human nature to concede. Sad but true. To have peace you have to be willing on both sides, and clearly that is not the case. Bush,Carter,Clinton,Reagan,Cretien,Harper and Trudeau together cannot bring peace to Isreal and Palestine, nor You and I. We cannot make people have peace. The parties involved have to want peace. This is a fact that the peace-nics refuse to acknowledge. It's too bad we continue to make the same mistakes to allow history to repeat itself.
In a World where it's Human nature to long for freedom, they continue to imprison themselves in a constant replay of negative result.
The obvious is, if the Palestinians wanted peace they would not have elected a known Terrorist group to lead their people. Think about this. Do terrorists really want peace?
If there were peace across this great Earth of ours tommorow, what purpose would a terrorist serve? What happens to their being? What happens to their funding and their power? I think we can both agree they don't want peace.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Chris

-- “Justice? How fast we slip from reality.” -- “In a perfect world justice would prevail, however we all know the world is far from perfect.” --

The world is what we make it. No more. No less. If the world is far from perfect, look in the mirror to find the reason why. Today’s injustice is the self-fulfilled prophecy of people who think war and conquest are a solution instead of recognizing that they are the problem.

-- ”Where in the world has justice ever prevented war?” --

Everywhere it truly exists. Justice is the foundation of the ongoing peace in every peaceful place on the planet. It is the key ingredient that allows billions of people to live more or less peacefully in their communities every day. Maintaining justice requires continuous effort to prevent injustice from creeping in. But the effort to do this is well spent, because it is far less than the effort expended fighting a war.

-- “Justice always has come after war.” --

That’s like saying “Cleanliness always has come after making yourself dirty.” It is possible to clean yourself when you’re dirty, but most children know that the direct path to cleanliness is to stay out of the dirt.

I have been following with interest the Palestinian, Israeli conflict since 1955,and for the first time an American President has had the COURAGE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH about what is happening in Palestine. Over the years I observed how Israel ALWAYS BUILT SETTLEMENTS
while blaming the Palestinians for every thing. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MR. CARTER THAT PEACE WILL ONLY COME WHEN ; THE WEST BANK,GAZA AND EAST JERUSALEM BECOME A PALESTINIAN STATE, and remove all the settlements from those areas.

To disagree with ex-President Carter is hiding your head in the sand and pretend that what he talks about does not exist.

Justice?
How fast we slip from reality. Remember I stated the fact about realism? In a perfect world justice would prevail, however we all know the world is far from perfect. Where in the world has justice ever prevented war? Justice always has come after war. I'm not saying that's the right way, but that is the way it is.
All the people so quick to follow Jimmy down his path of an attempt to rewrite history, whether it be his legacy or the Israel-Palestine conflict really surprise me at how short their memories are. I wonder, maybe you're hoping my memory is short, not. In the past it seems Jimmy has had a problem with memory as well. Do your homework people.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Chris

Got to wonder how many people angry about it bothered to read the book. I've started to.
Certainly throughout the beginning, the man who negotiated an end to the Israeli-Egyptain war has tried to be fair and balanced.

Some Canadian jewish organizations give the impression that everybody else is biased on the issue. I don't pretend to know all the nuances of the conflict but one is certain they exist on both sides.

However when you start critizing people like Jimmy Carter or Amnesty international; i.e., people known for being honest brokers against oppression elsewhere, you should ask yourself at least whether another side exists and whether you've heard it.

For those who resigned from the Carter association in protest, I'd rather have heard honest debate from them on the issue, as opposed to the stifling of protest. I eagerly WAIT THEIR BOOK, as I devour this one.

How can there be peace when there is not even real dialog?

May I live to hear about actual peace in Israel.

-- “Has there ever been peace before there's been war?” --

Mankind did not emerge from the mud dressed in combat boots.

-- “In history it has always taken a decisive victory before peace was found.” --

Decisive victory produces only submissive silence. That is not peace. If you want peace, you need justice. If you have justice, there is no need or motive for war.

If there is to be any progress toward justice and peace in Israel and Palestine, the Israelis need to admit they misappropriated the land they are on and the Palestinians need to admit that despite the injustice of the situation, the Israelis have never had anywhere else to put their homeland. The rest of the world must admit that we are significantly to blame for the fact that these two groups have been crammed inequitably in the same cage together for more than 50 years. The Palestinians are carrying the world’s responsibilities toward Israel on their backs. Things could be very different if they weren’t forced to do that.

It amazes me how many people can want our government to give financial support to a "nation" that wants them dead. Doesn't anyone here know about massive death to America rallies that are held in Gaza and the rest of the Islamic states? Do we really believe that giving these people an area just a little larger than Prince Edward Island will make them stop their hostility? Why are so sure that Israel is to be blamed for the deaths of palestinian civilians when there is great evidence that those people were deliberately being used as human shields by terrorists? Why do the media headlines always mention Israeli forces in the headlines when a missile hits a palestinian civilian but it is always a faceless rocket that hits a Israeli civilian? Does anyone have rational answers to these questions?

Chris, you made a good point, I agree that the U.N. has been useless. I stand corrected. But as for Bush being a stand-up president? My goodness, I have no idea how to begin responding to that one. I won't even bother.

No one wants schoolchildren to be blown up, Chris. Not even the most disgusting, sickest person on these posts would wish for that.

The question is how to stop Israel and Palestine or anyone to quit "responding" to each other with bombs and violence, over and over and over, who can get them to agree and find a fair solution? Carter came one hell of a lot closer than did Bush.

Now the pettiness is just Liberals v. Conservatives (Wait- Fox news has a new term for liberals - we're now "Secular Progressives" take note) but ultimately how we work unbiased on a real solution is what matters.

First, my thanks to Henry Champ for the first, civil,well balanced and honest article I have read in the Western press on President Carter's courageous book. If President Carter wanted to prove his point about the damped down discussion over Israel in America (and in Canada I might add) the NY Times, Washington Post etc., could not have been more obliging. Equally, the disparaging comments directed at the former President from all sides of the elected House could not have done more to show Americans they have a serious problem. Even the Democrats new ethics bill exempts the 'free-be trips' to Israel funded by the very powerful Israel lobby, AIPAC.
President Carter is no fool, he knew the kind of abuse he would take when he published this book. AIPAC and its many other companion associations and spokespeople don't employ civil dissent - they are out right vicious! They use distortion, misinformation and vicious name calling to abuse those, including many Jewish people who dare to criticize Israel.
If Canadians are not mindful of what is happening in Canada; the free-be trips to Israel; the MP's who have joined the 'Friends of Israel' committee and the growing power of the new self-appointed Israeli lobby in Canada (CIJA)we too maybe looking for a champion like President Carter. Like many Canadians looking for a balanced view I access media abroad. Canadian media with the exception of CBC and the Toronto Star cannot be trusted to give us an untainted, balanced view when it comes to the middle east anymore.

Chris in London:

"I guess by the way alot of the posters are responding one would assume it's ok for homicide bombers to blow up a school bus full of Jewish children, but it's not ok for Isreal to respond with a rocket."

Nothing of the sort has been said or endorsed. What is apparent by your long-winded response though is that Carter's book has sucessfully produced its intended effect. It is good to see that the misinformed and apologists for the brutal and senseless occupation of Palestine have been reduced to the usual name-calling and labelling of their critics -- ie. left-wing, kneee jerks, appeasers, anti-semites. The real appeasement has been the collective silence of humanity and so-called freedom loving people

Moby, Carter is not trying to earn his next meal, he is trying to rebuild his pathetic legacy. Kari,please do some research on Carter before suggesting he is a better president than Bush. At least Bush does what he says he's going to do and has the spine to move forward with his decision. To think the U.N. should be involved in anything is laughable. Anything they are involved with is a total disaster. Let's get real people. Forget the brainwashing of the media and get the facts. I'm waiting for someone to make an attempt to defend Koffi. Nice work on the Oil For Food program.
On Isreal and Palestine, I guess by the way alot of the posters are responding one would assume it's ok for homicide bombers to blow up a school bus full of Jewish children, but it's not ok for Isreal to respond with a rocket. Should they practise restraint? What a deterrent that has proven to be. Just check Carter's record to validate my point on that. When he received the Peace prize he should have been renamed the King of Appeasement.
It would be nice to have more realists in this world. Things might actually get done. Problems might get solved,if we put more effort into solving the issue than trying to figure out how to sugar coat it. It seems we are more worried about hurting one's feelings than actually coming to a solution. Sad is it not? Why don't we make decisions based on facts instead of feelings? I know for some of you that's a hard pill to swallow but I'm a realist. Something else to think about is, and remember before you jump to anger, facts not feelings. Has there ever been peace before there's been war? In history it has always taken a decisive victory before peace was found. Just a couple of final points. Anything coming out of Jimmy Carter's mouth would never be considered a blow, and lastly, Jimmy Carter and Conservative never belongs in the same sentence. Thank you for reading my post.
Sincerely,
Chris.

I was mailed a copy of Carter’s book from an organization that alleges to promote peace in the region. I started it yesterday and finished it this morning. It was dull, uninspiring and written with the phenomenal arrogance only a failed Democratic President could exhume.

It is clear that for people like Carter or Clinton, the most important thing to them is their legacy, and it is also clear that they will do what ever they can to deflect from the fact that their combined 12 years in the Oval Office produced nothing of substance, and that is ultimately what they will be remembered for. So they write boring testaments to their own egotism and we’re supposed to swallow it whole as gospel.

No thanks!

Mr. Carter is correct. The Jewish community, be it in Israel, Canada or the USA,
has a very firm grip on the media. This is doubly true in Canada and the USA. To use the word biased is to be kind to to those Jewish media barons who constantly use their newspapers, TV, and radio to defend Israels
acts of vicious attacks of violence on the Palestinian people and their lands.
One cannot avoid the biblical account of
``David and Goliath``when thinking of them.
Go David Go!

This comment is in response to Mr. Levy:
The place of birth of Abraham is the city of Or in Iraq next to the city of Babylon. The original place for the Jews is not in Palestine. They are invaders of Palestine before 3500 years and now.
The population of the Palestinians in Israel is 20% of the total population. Why is their share of the seats of the Parliament 10 seats only out of 120 seats?
There is no Palestinian cabinet minister in the central cabinet of Israel ever! Why?

 In solving any problem, it is better to “point the finger at the problem” rather than “point the finger at people”. That may seem simplistic and in a sense it is. It is easy to write or say those words, but it is far more difficult to implement the former course of action. It requires the combined intelligence of the people who want to work out a solution maintaining the focus of
“pointing the finger at the problem” and not allowing “hate and discontent” to disrupt the
proceedings.

Will “hate and discontent” ever be eradicated after the solution to the problem? That is doubtful, as human nature comes “into play”. There will always be those who have been affected such as a member of a family or close friend killed or maimed (by whatever device) or who have had their home destroyed or have had something taken that does not belong to the other.

To solve the problem of the Palestinians having their own country and the recognition of the Israelis as a people who have the right to exist by Palestinians and many others is no small task. To continue to “point the finger at people” will not contribute to the solution. However, “pointing the finger at the problem” will.

Both sides have it completely wrong; Israelis and Palestinians are not natural enemies and have never been - they are natural allies. Western europeans and north americans - "Christians"- are in reality the natural and persistent enemies of both. Crusades anyone? While it is true that the crusaders went to fight muslem armies they also tested the edges of their swords on defenseless jewish populations in europe before actually setting out on the road to jerusalem to really get down on some slaughter. Then there were the infamous pogroms, blood libel, and the top horror show of all - The Holocaust. On the arab side of the street we have Sykes-Picot, Churchills arbitrary map making, the Suez crises, etc. etc. If anything, jews and arabs ought to band together and take their revenge out on us, the architects of two thousand years of misery for them both. We've created kings where there were none, countries, divisions and artficial fiefdoms where none existed before. We prop up one tyrant after another making sure that we drain the resources of the region dry without benefit to those who ought to control it. We have robbed and raped our way through their world for over two millennia and all the while we blame them for the chaos we've left in our wake. No wonder some of them want to kill us all.

President Carter is a good and honourable man who has only made some very reasonable assertions. But unfortunately, in the America of today, there are more and more special interests who are sacred cows. No politician can dare to offend them for fear of not getting reelected. President Carter deserves the Profile in Courage award. It was due to him that billions of dollars in aid was given to Israel on an annual basis. So when he criticizes the brute methods used by Israel in dealing with the Palestinians, he is entitled as a friend to point out the flaws of the Israeli regime. The Palestinians deserve their long-delayed independence and the support of all peaceful persons. They should also be recompensated for all the money due them and for the historic injustice that the Israeli government has perpetrated in Palestine.

The treatment of the Palestinians by Washington and Israel is criminal.American and Canadian media coverage of the facts without the spin is practically non-existent. The American military has each of Israel's enemies in its gunsights. Is Israel the 51st state or head office? Thank you President Carter.

To Mr. Levy

"3500 ago, Jews lived in their own state of Israel. Despite being expelled from their land twice before."

You need to go back to school and take a history lesson sir. The concept of the "nation-state" did not even begin to emerge until the the Thirty-Years War in 1648. You have confused "tribalism" with state. The rest of the self-serving points that you made continue to be the modus operandi of the pro-Israel lobby. shame on you. Luckily, some of us choose to educate ourselves. Thank you Jimmy for your courage in the face of "status-quo".

How daring and courageous. The "conspiracy of silence" that we students of history learn very early. Don't be critical of Israel or you will be labelled an anti-semite and never find work at any legitimate orgaization. What has been done to the Palestinians is utterly criminal. But what is more interesting, is why we tolerate it. Bravo Jimmy! Yours is not a voice in the wilderness but that which gives life to the cowardly majority in this "free and democratic society" for which I am a member.

To those who condemn the Palestinians for backing away from "peace offers" made by Israel, consider this: Each offer made since 1991 (Madrid) has less than that which came before. They are certainly well less than the demands of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 383, which essentially call for a withdrawl of Israeli troops from occupied territory. They are certainly less than the provisions of the Geneva Conventions, which forbid the expulsion of people from occupied lands. To those who blindly support Israel, how can you support the Isaeli settlements in occupied territory, when those settlements have been declared illegal and a major thorn in the side of any peace process. How can you support Israel's ignoring of UN Security Council resolutions, especially when the USA and Israel were so quick to condemn Iraq's supposed violations prior to the invasion of '03?

Peace is not possible when the most powerful players in this fight continue to ignore all aspects of international law that don't appeal to them.

-- “… how can any Canadian seriously claim a balanced perspective of condemning Israel's policies…” --

It is not hypocritical for the pot to call the kettle ‘black’ if the pot also acknowledges its own soiled exterior. In fact, who better to recognize the kettle’s blackness than the pot beside it? We are all soiled to one extent or another, but that is no justification for perpetuating the status quo in Canada or Israel.

--“Take your own advice and donate your condo to a native band and go back to Europe.” --

If Europe opened their door to me, I would ask the First Nation’s people who live across the street whether they wanted me to leave. If they said yes, I would go.

Until Europe opens that door, I have to settle for supporting Native self-government and the generous resolution of all land claims. That is the best I can do. The Israel/Palestine situation is more complex, but they would surely benefit if they adopted a similar attitude.

I lived in PA controlled area of Bethlehem for 6 months in 1999 and following. During that time optimism was high. Economies of both peoples were doing quite well. Tourists felt safe and welcome in Israel and the PA ruled jurisdictions. People were friendly and encouraging mutual cooperation. Israel was talking peace with the Syrians, Jordanians and Palestinians. There was a real sense that peaceful coexistance and cooperation could actually be a done deal.

In 2000 all optimism turned sour. The 2nd intifida was launched by Yasser Arafat as a result of his rejection of the deal offered by Ehud Barak. Beit Jalla was turned into a war zone, PA area economies were destroyed. Tourists stopped coming to Bethlehem. Then came the rise of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Al Aksa Martyr's Brigade and the extremist likes thereof.

From the inside looking out, from a perspective of reality on the ground. Carter's pointing the finger at Israel and laying blame with the government is as flawed as is his perspectives. I do not deny the difficulty faced by Palestinians day to day. I was there, lived it and experienced it. Most of it is because of what their leaders have done and what the extremists are doing to them, somewhat self inflicted unfortunately.

The Palestinian leadership must come back to the table again with honesty and respect. Israelis for the most part are looking for a peace partner they can negoitiate with. In Hamas, Israel will only find extremists and enemies out for their destruction. The PA under Abbas must reach the moderate peoples and convince them that discussion is the key, that violence only increases their suffering, that they are the only ones who can bring them to a peace deal.

Carter needs to get out of his ivory towers in Georgia on the peanut farm and get real with the peoples by living amongst them. Then he might have something realistic to say.

How can Israel ever hope to live in peace when they continue to build more settlements in occupied land. Although I have not had the chance to read Carter's book I watched him on a TV interview and agree with what he is saying. Unfortunately in our society critizing Israel gets you labeled as anti sematic.

The phrase "Jewish power elite" keeps comming up here, quite reminisciant of the Nazi's contention that those moneybagging Jews are controlling us and we must stop it. Criticism of Israel is not anti-semitic or hatred of jews, but how can any Canadian seriously claim a balanced perspective of condemning Israel's policies towards the Palestinian people when our own Aparthied against our own colonial subjects (aboriginals) was so successfull that we enjoy the wealth we have today. Take your own advice and donate your condo to a native band and go back to Europe.

This discussion is very informative. Like most people, I admit to knowing very little about the nuances and finer political machinations of the Israel-Palestine conundrum. Every time I have begun to ask more informed people to explain it to me, the conversation has devolved to the point where the words "anti-semite" or "islamophobe" crop up (depending on whom I ask). Over the years, I have simply learned to avoid the topic at all costs. By verbally attacking anyone who asks questions, both sides cheat themselves of creative and useful suggestions for peace.

Here's a naive suggestion that at least has the benefit of being objectively fair: remember the way good old mom used to solve sibling spats - Billy gets to cut the cake and Bobby gets first choice of which piece he wants. We are talking about family members, after all.

In any case, I'm buying this book and reading it.

-- “Israel has won the land it occupies through struggle and through war.” --

True.

-- “It needs no further justification for its territories.” --

That’s utter nonsense. You will understand why if you are ever unfairly evicted from your home. In the meantime, try contemplating the phrase “Thou shalt not steal.”

-- “They may live on it as long as they can defend it.” --

True, but who wants to spend eternity fighting for their land? That scenario is the fantasy of an arms dealer or a schoolyard bully.

In the Second World War the Jews were given more than enough reasons to want their own homeland. The Allied countries could have provided land within their own borders for that home, but chose not to. That incredible lack of compassion resulted in a massive migration of Jewish refugees to Palestine, far outnumbering the Palestinian population there. Attempts to curb the influx of refugees were defeated by force. Part of Palestine was then unilaterally declared to be a Jewish State. From the perspective of the Jewish refugees, the pressures driving this sequence of events are quite understandable. But the result was exceedingly unfair to the Palestinians.

It is appropriate to sympathize with the desperation of the Jewish refugees after the Holocaust, but if there was ever an example of the maxim “two wrongs don’t make a right”, this is it.

If either side was more right than the other we'd already have a solution. Jimmy Carter is no more guilty of bias than any other writer as the real truth is the sum of all opinions, and without considering the other sides views we cannot comprehend where they are coming from.

Carter is clearly not an anti-semite, and anyone who actually reads his book or listens to what he has to say on the topic can see this. The Israeli-Palestinean conflict will never be resolved as long as anyone who criticizes the policies of the Israeli government (NOT Jewish people in general) is labelled an anti-semite. I applaud Mr. Carter's courage in trying to initiate an honest dialogue

I am not sure why people are still debating Israel's right to the land it occupies.

Israel has won the land it occupies through struggle and through war. It fought those who would contest its claim and defeated them. It needs no further justification for its territories. No peoples has an inherent right to the land that they occupy. They may live on it as long as they can defend it.

So I wish Israel a prosperous existence and may it always remain strong enough to defend its borders.

John

Mr. Levy is surely aware that The title of Mr. Carter's book is Palestine Peace not Apartheid. Therefore, all his references to Israel's democracy are based on a straw dog which he conveniently sets up. The fact remains that Israel enforces apartheid in the Palestinian Territories, with Jews only highways, water supplies, etc. etc.

Mr. Levy also refers to the fact that some token and minor officials are Arab-Israelis. What would happen if, with changing demographics, the Arabs of Israel were to elect an Arab Moslem Prime Minister? It is an oxymoron to speak of "The Jewish State", which was founded for the Jewish people, as a democracy.

Finally, that many Palestinians hate Israelis has nothing to do with Anti-Semitism, as Mr. Levy implies. Rather, it's because of their abominable treatment by the Israelis.

Your a writer not a mind reader how do you know what carter's goal was. I think its time for cbc to get some new blood .

Thanks Henry Champ for helping to get Carter's comments into the arena of debate. I am a Canadian Christian and I really appreciate what Jimmy Carter has to say about the Middle East. He is an expert without a doubt. He has given a balanced view of the mess that exists there. Our western media continues to have a USA/Israeli bias. I want to hear more about the suffering of the Palestinians and about justice. It is clear that Israel is not responsive to world opinion and certainly not open to justice for all. They believe in justice for "just us." Israel has ignored the United Nations more often than Sadam Hussein. I sure hope that the Palestinians will be able to live without subjugation and oppression/suppression real soon.

It is heartening to see a prominent political figure actually recognize the history of abuse of power by Israel and the lack of honest debate on the subject in the US. I congratulate Mr Carter for having the morals to speak out when so many others remain silent for reasons of political correctness.As one of the authors of the US constitution said "all that is required for evil men to succeed is for good men to do nothing".I can only hope that rather than argue the definition or applicability of the word aparthied that people actually read what he has written and do their own investigation of Israels behavior over the past 50 yrs.

I don't have any problem with debate, and in fact encourage reasonable debate. But more often than not what we have in North America is not debate, but just fighting. There is a middle ground that can be reached in the discussion. The whole situation might be black, but both sides are a steady grey.
According to some polls I've read, more than 2/3 of Israelis are willing to give up most of the West Bank for peace, and 2/3 of Palestinians are willing to accept any state they can get if they could get it tomorrow. All we hear are the voices of the minorities on both sides. We should not be echoing their sentiments but those of the majority; Give the Palestinians a state today and start negotiating a final border tomorrow. Both sides are more than exhausted with blood being shed needlessly.

Since Mr. Carter's bone of contention with Israel is its alleged "Apartheid" against the Pals. Indirectly comparing Israelis to that of the whites in S. Africa, during its dark period of Apartheid. It is time to examine the that word a bit closer. compare the two nations .

Israel vs. S. Africa.

- 450 years ago, no single white was living in S Africa. Nor did they ever had any spiritual connection to the land.
- 3500 ago, Jews lived in their own state of Israel. Despite being expelled from their land twice before. Jews have never severed their spiritual connection to the land of their ancestors in Israel.

- Holy places to both, Christian Blacks and Whites in SA, are located, either in Rome, or in Jerusalem.
- Jews holiest site is located in their own capital city of Jerusalem.

- Afrikaans in S.A where originated from Europe (Holland).
- Jews have originated from present day Israel.

- Afrikaans immigrated to S.A. by reason of colonization, exploitation, and oppression of the local Black populations.
- Jews have immigrated to Israel, to find refuge from further persecution, and oppressions.

- Apartheid notwithstanding. Blacks of S. Africa where still citizen in that country.
- Palestinians living in West Bank and Ghaza, have ever been Israeli citizens.

- Before, Black citizens did not have the same rights, as the Whites had.
- Israeli citizens of all religions, have the same civil rights, protected by law.

- Despite their majority in the country Blacks did not have a single representative in the central government.
- Arab-Israeli citizen have no less then 10 members in the Israeli Knesset (parliament).

- In S.A. Blacks had no member in judiciary system.
- A Judge in the Israeli highest Court in the land, is a Muslim.

- Despite the horrible Apartheid against them. Black clerics never taught their constituencies to hate whites, and “look for whites whatever hiding behind the rocks and tree, and kill them where ever they find them”
- Palestinian Clerics still teach their young children to hate Jews.

- Black leaders in S.A. have laid the foundation of forgiveness, by teaching their young children hope, and human decency. A creed to which it lead to the reconciliation between whites and Blacks.
- Palestinian leaders still reach their children to “never give up the armed fight until all Jews (Zionists) are driven out out from their homes.

- Blacks in SA, never sent their young boys and girls into White public places, strapped with explosives to blow themselves up with intention to kill as many whites.
- Palestinian leaders encourage their children to become homicide bombers, and heroes (martyrs).

- After 300 years (of Apartheid). Black majority still accepts the presence of the whites as equals.
- Palestinians are taught to never accept the right of Israel to exist.

Had President carter pondered these facts before hand, the title of his book would have been a different one.

Jimmy Carter has an admirable knack of cutting through all the schlock and getting to the nitty-gritty of issues that affect the world in profound ways. Perhaps his new book will open up debate that can move the West (read USA and Isreal) to accept that the Palestinian displacement problem must be redressed amicably. If it is not, then the fundamentalist Christians may yet get their prediction of Armageddon. I am with Carter in choosing peace over apartheid.

I laughed as I read this, and the comments as it reminds me of an older mid 60's friend who stated emphatically that "we" should have never allowed the jews to have thier own state! how many Christian states are there in the world, how many Muslim states and 1 jewish state that all its neighbors tried time and time again to push them into the sea (I.E. Genocide) no one seems to remember that no other Muslim state wants the Palestinian problem in their backyard, (I.E Jordan and "Black September").
These commentors from their safe and sound welfare supported states (Canada and EU) who know no pain, and are unwilling to sacrifice the blood of others, how is it no one bothers to mentioned the thousand hurt or killed in Sectarian violence within Palestine or the other Middle-East states, Must be a jewish plot! you all make me laugh, for you all are quite foolish

Because the Jews had suffered from the Holocaust; they should not do the same to the Palestinians. What do you call the hundreds of civilian Palestinian casualties every month?? How many Israelis have been killed by suicide bombers? 200? 300? 400? How many civilian Palestinian were killed by air raids? 1000? 2000? 3000? Nobody talks about the Palestinian casualties, it's as if they were not human being!! But if there was a suicide incident all the western media stand behind the Israeli victims!!
The only problem which does exist now is the occupation. Let the Israelis withdraw to the 1967; then They could talk about peace.
The Jews have to get the lesson from the Holocaust and not to treat the others in the same way they were treated. Unfortunately, the Jews do not read, if they read they do not understand, and if they understand they do not act!!!

mr carter who has the insight and the insider knowledge of this ongoing conflict of which very few leaders openly criticize israel.
i often wonder why we see so little of the suffering of the palestenian people on the tv.
he who controls the media controls the sentiment..
why is there no debate of israel's nuks., you can have it but they cannot. it is no wonder the middle east is in a mess
subsidizing israel to the tune of 20 billion a year, palestenian contribution..150 million..
american foreign policy at it's best

What about the allegation of not acknowledging the source of maps used in the book? Sloppy work or ignorance of what should be done?

The writer is referring to maps Carter uses in his book to indicate proposed borders used during negotiations between Israelis and Palistinians. Former Mid-east negotiator Dennis Ross says the maps inaccurately imply that Palistinians had been more accomodating than they were in fact. There has been much non-conclusive debate whether Carter was sloppy or deceitful.
h

It appears that too many times the call of anti semetism and racism are used to quell debate on subjects people find difficult to deal with ,or which may in the short term cause controversy.Such matters if not discussed openley by all societies can be used by those who would benefit from these ongoing situations, people who don`t wish to be questioned about thiermotives. Well done Mr Carter and all those who bring issues into the public domain.

Thank you Henry for having the courage to comment on Pres. Carter'recent publication. His book will ,at last,bring the light of day to the unfair treatment of the Palestinians by a people who should know better having survived the Holocaust. Man's inhumanity to Man confounds me. I hope the wrongs perpetrated on the Arabs will be righted and true freedom for ALL will be possible. God Bless Jimmy Carter, a true Statesman and a wonderful human being.

Jimmy Carter's book reflects accurately the current reality for Palestinians; apartheid. When taking the facts of Israel's illegal military occupation into account there is simply no other conclusion to draw...

Jimmy Carter has joined the growing majority opinion in the world, which rejects Israel's continued illegal occupation of Palestinian, subjugation of the Palestinian people and military violence throughout the region...

- Stefan Christoff, in Montreal

Jimmy Carter is wrong in placing the blame solely on Israel. This only adds fuel to a situation that evades a solution that all can accept. Mr. Carter's staff thinks he has gone to far and so do I. Keep your nose out of it.

Surrounded on all sides by societies and states bathed in genocidal incitement...

Attacked numerous times in the last 60 years...

Routine rocket attacks that are only limited by the technical limitations of the rockets...

Suicide bombings often enough that they almost don't make the news anymore over here...

...I don't blame the Israelis, I would build a wall too. The Palestinians could get rid of that wall and all checkpoints in record time, simply by doing two things:

1. Acknowledge Israel's right to exist (territory to be negotiated peacefully to follow)
2. Stop killing Israelis and teaching their children to kill Israelis.

Simple enough.

I blame Arafat, Abbas and Hamas for that wall. It's a shame that the Palestinian people can't see who their real enemies are; their own leadership. But then again, that's brainwashing for you. It's just a shame that so many people in the West fell for that anti-Jewish brainwashing too.

President Jimmy Carter is one of the few good Presidents of the USA. He is real Christian. He does not advise any body to kill people like other evangelical leaders do. All of them were behind the war in Iraq. One of them advised the killing of Chavez, the President of Venezuela!
All President Carter’s works after the presidency like Habitat reflect his character. When he went to Camp David for peace he was sincere. He believed in peace.
Now because he is on the side of the weak Palestinian people; he is irrelevant?? The media empire in the USA and the world is campaigning to discredit President Carter. They will fail because they cannot mislead the people anymore. It is a new era. As somebody put it: he is not waiting to get money for his dinner from his book. I will add more: The corrupt media do not have any mistake against President Carter so they could threaten him. May God bless you and your family Mr. Carter? And may God Bless you Henry Champ for writing about the book.

One only has to stand in the gas chambers and crematoriums of Dachau or Auschwitz to understand why the Israelis/Jews behave the way they do. They have looked complete destruction in the face and have seen how the world turns away, especially the so-called Christians. They walked timidly into the gas chambers once, they won't do it again.

I'm an American Jew, and Jimmy Carter said what I've been saying, and Israeli Jews like former parliament member Shulamit Aloni have been saying, for decades. We have indeed been shouted down. In the West Bank, there are roads that only Jews, but not Palestinians, are permitted to drive on. That's Apartheid. If the Israelis wanted peace, they would evacuate the settlements and build their "fence" on the 1967 border. But they don't.

Perhaps Canadian Jews will be able to speak more freely than American Jews.

Thank-you Mr. Carter for writing the book and Mr Champ for having the guts to comment on it. How refreshing in a society where to disagree with Isreal on anything is branded as anti-Jewish. We must break this strangle hold the powerful Jewish organizations have on our media and governments so that we can take part in open discussions without fear.

If we want to go to the early history; in 1948 the Jews had only less than 8% of the land of Palestine, according to the United Nation records. Now, after they occupied all Palestine; they want to donate to the Palestinians less than 25% of their land (the Palestinian original land). After the occupation in 1967 the Israeli government decided the West Banc is part of Israel. That is why they started building settlement in the occupied territories! After they grabbed the best land in the West Bank and around Jerusalem; they accepted the Palestinian state and they want to compensate the Palestinians with land in the Negev desert!

Just recently (less than 10 years) the Israelis had accepted a Palestinian state. Before, they were calling for annexation of what is left of the west bank into Jordan. Even some of their leaders had adopted the policy of transformation the Palestinians inhabitants to the neighbouring Arab countries considering the West Bank as part of Israel!

I would take Carter as president any day over Bush. Whether you agree with him or not, what is important here is the discussion.

It's a shame we must stir controversy to get people's attention, but welcome to our new world. At least here I see a dialogue about issues in the Middle East. Before this forum, all I read was rather useless discussions such as: should Bush send in more troops to Iraq? Will it achieve peace?

How can we be so blatantly ignorant?? Bush and his cronies want power, money, oil and extremist religious control throughout the world. He does not want peace. He will hide his motives with any excuse on hand, including "protecting" America after 9/11. Amazingly the media has avoided coming out and saying it. Speak up, people!!

I agree that Israel has been extremely and unfairly favored especially in the U.S. Remember, "you're either for us or against us!" Among the "axis of evil" is any unstable country desperate to defend itself against being usurped.

At least Carter began a discussion (even if he is biased or wrong) so maybe the west can BEGIN to understand both sides and educate themselves. Sadly I don't think that many war-torn places in the middle east will search for peaceful solutions unless the U.N. gets more involved (and please, keep America out of the picture!)

Carter is a liar. He says he didn't read Dennis Ross's book. What nonsense. He lied outright and many posters don't have a clue that the Jewish Agency for Palestine accepted a two-state solution in 1937 and every Israeli government has reaffirmed that. The Arabs rejected it in 1937 and have ever since, including Abbas's recent statement that he would not accept a provisional state, which would be a huge step forward for the Palestinians.

The number of posters expressing a paranoid view of Jews is truly appalling. This is part of the Carter legacy.

If I were Israel, I'd sue. There are real maps that were part of the 2000 Clinton proposals that really were passed by the Israeli government. Look it up. December 28th, 2000. New York Times, I think, among other papers. Yet Carter said that NEITHER side accepted the proposals.

As I said: Carter is a liar.

Apartheid is apartheid by any other name. It IS apartheid and it is the Israeli wall keeping even palestinian people from their own families in some cases. They are not even allowed to walk across a road to their tiny farms the source of their food and possibly some money selling what they can. What would all of you who say Israel no matter how wrong and barbaric?... it is what it should be called.

I find it interesting reading the posts that everyone is very interested in deciding who is right and who is wrong, trying to assign blame to this side or that side. I think it is time for both the Palestinians and the Israelis to admit that they have both committed some terrible, terrible atrocities. Instead of focusing on that though, I think it is time to move on and look for new solutions to the problem, instead of trying to assign blame. A new solution does not mean Israel gets to settle everywhere it wants, and I think that is the west's responsibility to make sure Israel follows the terms of any agreement and international law.

Most people of our generation have been observing this conflict all our lives. It is clear that there is right & wrong on both sides, as well as guilt & innocence, courage & suffering, anger & fear. It is also clear that neither side really wants peace right now, seemingly convinced that, if they keep stirring the pot for another 2 years or 10 years, they will somehow be in a better position to 'win'.

At this point in the conflict a real solution may only come about when both sides decide to do what is best for their people, in the here & now. That would mean an acknowledgement that the situation is unwinnable in terms of how victory is defined by each side, and that a continuation of the current strategies merely brutalises and degrades both societies further.

I think a truly longterm solution probably requires a multi-ethnic state or federation with real guarantees for all, which of course would require a level of trust and reconciliation that will not likely happen within our lifetimes.

It would be interesting to see that goal articulated as part of a process however. In 1957 few would have predicted the level of integration of the EU 50 years down the road. Things can change when there is a vision that accepts everyone's rights and proceeds gradually towards goals that all see as just and worthwhile.

Anybody who relates their whole existence to a piece of dirt, is a rather shallow and idiotic person.

It amazes me that he is not telling us anything we don't already know. If the US or Isreal was to annex any part of Canada I would act very similarly to the palestinians. We/they have to be able to accept the truth about ourselves before we can think of improving the situation. Mr. Carter is simply pointing out the truths that we all know about Isreal and its foriegn policy.

The book is only controversial because lobbyists for Israel have made any criticism of Israel in the US and Canada politically incorrect. It is portrayed as anti-Semitism. As Carter and Champ correctly point out, the Israeli press is often more critical.
Carter has also pointed out that the US has consistently violated the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, a point that seems to almost completely escape the press. Only Iran, and North Korea are within the radar of mainstream press. Israel of course is also a nuclear power. There are no calls for a nuclear free Middle East. Israel, and Iran's neighbours can all have nuclear bombs together with India but not Iran.

It is actually took courage on Henry's part just to be commenting on Carter's remarks. In the U.S main stream media the response was either to condemn Carter, assert he is misinformed, or a fool, or to ignore the issue. None of that is balanced. Contrast the U.S media's (especially C.N.N's) coverage of two recent events: the racist out burst of Michael Richards "Kramer" of Seinfeld fame, and the racist outburst of the drunken actor Mel Gibson, a former media darling ( because he made media elites a lot of money).
The paradox is that coordinated vested interests acting in concert to pursue their objectives doesn't imply a "conspiracy" but the net result can be practically the same. In our psuedo-democracies the real truth of things is fairly deep, and you must pull back many layers, like peeling an onion, before you get close to the truth.
In fact the CBC is generally pretty decent except on Jewish issues, French Canadian issues, capitalism, media bias, and the reality of our NON democratic and fairly secretive governance by elites. Of course we get to vote once in a while, because that vote can't hardly ever change anything. Welcome to reality.

One problem here in the U. S. (I have lived here since 1987 in California as well as Florida), is that among the Christian Right-and this represents a huge and politically linked group(s) of people; the tendency is to see the conflict as part of a larger one-us against them. "They are the enemy." is more often than not the response when the subject is broached. This is the easy out of looking at the details. This also shoehorns in all arguments in favour of pressing the Palistinians: the killings mean they don't want peace so what can we do, they rejected this that or another offer so they don't want peace, they kill themselves so they don't want peace, etc. The truth of the matter is that chaos within the Palistinian world is the best situation for Israel. A divided enemy is easier to handle. Every offer of peace from Israel has been demeaning and conditioned on perfect performance over many years. Imagine someone stealing your homeland and then offering to allow you to remain in the hallways and basement, maybe and only if things work out over many years. Carter speaks the truth. The Palistinian anger and actions are understandable. They are heroic when someone on our side acts that way. But here in the U. S. They are the enemy. This is how it has always been and will continue to be. The victors write the news and history.

Part of the reason that people in Canada and the West don't appreciate the situation of the Palestinians is that we have so much more contact with Jews and Israelis than we do with Palestinians, Lebanese or Syrians. In my case, I have about 6 very good Jewish friends, and no Moslem friends. But everything will be changed by the increasing voice of those that were once silenced. For example, Aljazeera English is an excellent news channel that blows away the tabloid CNN and in some ways is better than CBC and even BBC. For now, it has been effectively censored from appearing on TV in Canada by the Jewish lobby getting the CRTC to only allow it under unrealistic conditions. But you can get the video feed over the Internet (for $6), by going to english.aljazeera.net/News and click on "Watch Now" on the top left. It really is a true global news service, and it will open your eyes.

-- “Here’s a state literally surrounded by enemies” --

Can we dare to ask how this situation came about? This territory has been conquered repeatedly throughout history. It has been in the hands of the Philistines, the tribes of Israel, the Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Romans, the Turks, the British, and others. With each conquest, the new conqueror is literally surrounded by enemies. Should we pity the latest conqueror, who insists that if only the conquered would accept their losses, peace would reign? Can the conqueror see that if the roles of conqueror and conquered were reversed, the broad strokes of this description would be the same? Everyone involved already knows what is necessary for peace. If they all wanted peace, they could easily have it. Unfortunately, they want the territory more.

This has been a divisive issue for so long that it seems neither side can be debated. Perhaps it is time to set aside Palistinian vs Isreali. What we have are people who sorely lack trust in one another. They kill the "Other". Retribution follows retribution. Each blames the other for starting the violence. What is left when you exclude so many similarities? One is rich. One is poor. One prevents the other from building an economy. One kills it's own to take control of what little power is to be had. The Palestinians grasp at straws. The Isrealis fear losing what they have to "enemies" all around them.

This is apartheid. But it is also paranoia. Xenophobia. And I can not see an end to it until those of us who support one side or the other demand more from both.

The level of anti-Israel sentiment in the vast majority of posters so far is appalling. Here's a state literally surrounded by enemies who---covertly and overtly---are committed to its destruction. But somehow, posters seem to believe, it's pulling the strings of all the major western powers through some small cabal of rabbis in New York city. Mearsheimer pushed this idea in the intellectually corrupt London Review of Books a few months ago. Later he appeared on a platform with known anti-semites: gave the game away, in fact.

The heady mixture of anti-Israeli sentiment, reflexive anti-Americanism, and anti-capitalist distase has clearly fuddled posters' brains. Carter's brain has been fuddled for a long time. Just because he is an ex-President, just because he loudly and stridently proclaims his evangelistic Christianity and his deluded appeasement policies does not mean anyone has to take him seriously. That many posters on this site do take him seriously is a sign that the Canadian media has not only failed to properly inform Canadians of the realities in the mid-East, but that it is almost certainly complicit in the spreading of the sort of nonsense Carter is now pushing in his book.

To the jewish power elite the genie is out of the bottle. No more "Shut Up" when it come to discussing Isreal, the Isreal lobby. As to Mr. Carter having a debate with Alan D. This guy is a joke, an embarrassment, a know it all, i.e. I am always right and you wrong. If people are informed about the situation on the ground in the occupied territories then perhaps so much of American tax payers money will stop going to Isreal.

Mr. Carter should refuse to debate Dershowitz because Dershowitz advocates torture.

After the occupation of Ghaza strip and the West Banc in 1967; the Israeli government started building the new settlements on the land of the Palestinians. This is against the international laws because it is occupied territories. No body in North America talked about that for the last forty years. Even President Carter knew this reality when he signed the Camp David agreement between Israel and Egypt. He wanted to give chance for the peace in the regain. Besides, at that time there were a few settlements not like now!

When the Palestinian peoples condemned and resisted by throwing stones on the Israeli soldiers; Mr. Rabin used the policy of breaking the bones of the hands of the Palestinian boys. We have seen this once on the TV. I do not want to continue to what happened after that from suicide people to air strikes on the civilian Palestinians because all of it is wrong. It came as a result of the occupation and building the Israeli settlements on the lands of the Palestinians. In conclusion, for every one civilian casualty on the Israeli side; you will find more than 10 civilian casualties from the Palestinian side.

In the USA, until now it was a sin if you talk or blame the Israelis. So when President Carter has opened the door; many of the American people relaxed and started saying their opinions freely without fear. Nobody after now can close the door once again.

Why?
The world always is in eternal conflict!
Why cannot people strive to eradicate this!
Why did Israel decide to broaden its boarders at others expense?
Since they have rights to particular borders, why do they extend them?
Why do Jewish settlers decide to live in other's territories?
Why can they not go home, and allow those who belong there to exist?
Palestine should be given the chance Israel was given long ago.
I am only on the side of what is right - I have no desire to see either side step on the other!
Why am I one of the few that can see?
Dennis Regan.

It is curious Mr. Champ fails to point out that Carter claimed that universities with significant Jewish student bodies had refused to let him speak about his book for free. Carter never identified the universities in question. Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz challenged Carter to a debate at Brandeis and Carter refused. Carter only relented on the condition that he did not have to debate Dershowitz. If Carter wants to create a dialogue why is he so reluctant to engage with those who disagree with him?

If the Palestinians want a state so badly why did they reject Bill Clinton and Ehud Barak's offer of Gaza, 98% of the West Bank plus East Jerusalem? It's because the Palestinians want to supplant Israel with an Islamic state and drive Jews into the sea. From the earliest age, Palestinian children are in taught in their homes, schools, mosques and in the media that Jews are inferior beings who are to be killed. So long as Palestinians think in this manner Israel cannot negotiate its suicide. So long as Carter excuses Palestinian terrorism decent people must stand up for the State of Israel.

President Carter is a stated born-again Christian. Christians have a duty to speak out against injustice, no matter who perpetuates it. If the world will face up to and address the injustices committed by the powerful against the weak and the defenseless, there will be more peace and love, and less suffering.
President Carter has only stated what many are afraid to say in public. Israel has many wealthy backers who spend considerable amount of money and effort to suppress the truth about the plight of the Palestinians people.

VIVA JIMMY CARTER !

Although I have not seen the book, I believe former President Carter is making a significant contribution to any discussion of peace by kicking over some deep fenceposts that have hitherto been untouchable. Cheers!

President Carter is a man of conscience and decency ... not a man of guile.

People are clamouring for someone who will "speak truth to power" .... yet when "truth" is spoken, it can really rock the boat of those whose goal is to distort the facts and feed us false images.

Keep rocking the boat, President Carter, let's really get it rocking on this issue !!

it's interesting to note how one recent US president can be so kind and brutally honest towards the Mid-east people's lives, whereas another, the current US president, is just plain brutal.

Former President Carter has only stated what any informed person has known for a very long time. But he is castigated by the Jewish Power Elite. They know it as well. But coming from Carter it is a blow. From anyone else is was labeled anti-simetic and racist. To critise Israel in America is simply not permissable by mere mortals. On this subject. There is no free-speach. Thank you Jimmy Carter.

Jimmy Carter has always blamed Jews for the ongoing situation in the middle east.That the Palestinians have no state rests solely on their own shoulders.Arafat chose war over statehood just as Hamas is choosing chaos and war over statehood.
The wall is a tool to save Israeli lives. That it exists at all is a reaction to attacks on civilians. I can't work up much sympathy for the disadvantaged Palestinians if they refuse to stop killing Jews.

Any comment about Israel that someone does not like is shot down as anti-semetic. I never understood that.( The Arabs are semetic too as far as I know). It is just a way of discouraging discussion on this important matter. If the palistinian issue was not allowed to just fester we may not have had the Iraq war and 'War on terror'. When is common sense to prevail? I have not yet read Mr Carter's book but I do believe it is long overdue this matter gets a fair hearing.

Jimmy Carter has been kind to Israel in his book . The reality is , that Israel , in it's pursuit of expansion , and with the connivance of the United States , has systematically driven Palestinians from their homes of thousands of years . They have bulldozed the homes of harmless civilians and indiscriminately killed unarmed Palestinians . I , like millions of others around the world , am totally disgusted with the manner in which the western powers have totally ignored the plight of the Palestinians . Is it any wonder that we now have a last result culture of suicide bombers among the Palestinians . Shame on the Western Powers for allowing this Israeli criminal activity to continue .

Mr. Carter was very gentle and very conservative when he said Apartheid. The real description is Slavery. I mean it. If you see the Palestinians at the Check Points every day and every hour; you will agree with me.

I trust Jimmy Carter to tell the story as it is. He is speaking from the heart. I do not think that his next meal depends on book sales royalty.

President Carter is right to be provocative in his book as all the killings from both sides have to stop. UN HCHR and former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour also emphasizes that the problems are from both sides.

As an aside, the title of the books was so provocative that the Wall Street Journal decided to editorialize the book's title in its best seller's list. I read that at one point it was listed as simply “Palestine” and then the week after as “Palestine …”. I don't if WSJ did any more wordplay afterwards.

Thank you President Carter for saying in print what many people have been thinking privately for some time.