Jimmy Carter vs. AIPAC

Last week, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and almost everyone else in the Washington establishment including the State Department have condemned and criticized Jimmy Carter for his latest attempt to make the world a safer place. Far from deserving all the cheap shots, Jimmy Carter should be praised for meeting with Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas.

When will we Americans learn that the only way to achieve true security is through diplomacy and negotiation? A majority of the Israeli public understands this.  According to a March 1, 2008 poll by the leading Israeli newspaper - Haaretz - 64 percent of Israelis favor direct talks with Hamas. Only 28 percent were opposed.   The Israeli people have suffered decades of war and terrorism.  They know that the only way to break the cycle of violence is a negotiated settlement.  Jimmy Carter’s brave gambit to meet with Hamas and jump-start the peace process is not “anti-Israel.” It is in Israel’s interests and the Israeli people know it.

Who besides Jimmy Carter can keep the Middle East peace effort alive while our lame duck president plays out his remaining days?  Should we just hope that warring parties in the Middle East patiently wait until a new president takes over next year?  And why should they be patient? The Democratic Party’s candidates seem to share the same obstinate, ill-informed views as George Bush and John McCain.

Carter’s critics don’t know much about Israel’s real security situation- nor do they really care about it.  All they want to do is please AIPAC and hawkish members of the American Jewish community who don’t have to live under the daily threat of terrorism.  Ever notice how people who don’t have to fight in wars tend to be the most fervent war hawks?  

The United States must make every effort to ensure the safety of Israel and its citizens. Without a secure Israel, there will be no peace in the Middle East.  The question is how to achieve that security.  On this question I will always side with the majority of the Israeli people rather than a powerful American lobbying group.

Senator Mike Gravel