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- For President Jimmy Carter, few things have sparked such a biting criticism as his latest book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Some Jewish groups call it one-sided and biased against Israel. Val Zavala talks with Carter about what he intended to accomplish with the book. (TRT: 7:29)
- The Carter Center
- CommUnity Advocates, Inc.
- Hot Air’s “Video: Carter Called ‘Racist,’ ‘Anti-Semite’ By C-SPAN Caller” Blog
- The Huffington Post’s “The Real World According to Jimmy Carter” Blog
- Michelle Malkin’s “Jimmy Carter: Fool” Blog
- Power Line’s “Errors, Omissions, Inventions and Falsehoods” Blog
- StandWithUs.com
- TomPaine.com’s “Thank You, Jimmy Carter” Article
- The White House’s Jimmy Carter Website
- Wikipedia’s Jimmy Carter Website
Jimmy Carter Under Criticism
Last updated: April 11, 2009
Reporter's NOTES
Val Zavala
It was an interesting day when President Carter came to the station for interviews. A secret service guy had been hanging around, sussing out the place for several days.
About 11 AM, the entourage of a half-dozen vehicles came swooping onto the lot. Carter’s PR person said that the President’s voice was getting thin (FYI, once a “President” always a “President”).
He was getting over a cold, thus, the frequent throat-clearing on the Tavis Smiley show. And although they had a nice lunch ready for him, he passed up the eats.
But his PR person grabbed a banana and those packaged crackers with peanut butter for a later snack. I guess the peanut farmer is still in him.
Insider Viewpoints
There is much that can be said about President Carter's book on the Middle East. The most incisive analysis comes from Ken Stein, who has had a 23-year association with the Carter Center, has co-authored a book with Carter and has even served as Carter Center Director (1983 to 1993).
His criticisms are damning. "President Carter's book on the Middle East…is
not based on unvarnished analyses; it is replete with factual errors, copied materials not cited, superficialities, glaring omissions and simply invented segments.
“Aside from the one-sided nature of the book,…there are recollections cited from meetings, where I was the third person in the room, and my notes of those meetings show little similarity to points claimed in the book. Being a former president does not give one a unique privilege to invent information or to unpack it with cuts, deftly slanted to provide a particular outlook…
“The history and interpretation of the Arab-Israeli conflict is already drowning in half-truths, suppositions and self-serving myths; more are not
necessary."
What more needs to be said?
David A. Lehrer
CommUnity Advocates, Inc.
…Carter recognizes the mistakes on both sides — precisely what the “You are either for us or against us” crowd in both camps cannot stand…Carter does not claim that Israel is an apartheid state.
What he does claim is that the West Bank will be a de facto apartheid situation if the current dynamics represented by the construction of the wall, by the passage of discriminatory legislation and by the inclusion of racists in the leadership — most recently, that of pro-ethnic cleansing Israeli Cabinet member Avigdor Lieberman — continue…What Carter is arguing is that the best interests of Israel and the United States are not served by the current policies…
Jimmy Carter is speaking the truth as he knows it and doing a great service to the Jews…It’s time to create a new openness to criticism and a new debate. Jimmy Carter has shown courage in trying to open that kind of space with his new book, and he deserves our warm thanks and support.
Rabbi Michael Lerner
TomPaine.com
COMMUNITY VIEWPOINTS
Jimmy Carter was the most ineffectual president that I have known in my 55 years of life. From his double-digit inflation, his “we have to lower our expectations” speech, to the nightmare with the Iranian hostages, it’s a wonder that he wasn’t impeached.
He has, since, made a habit of making nasty comments about succesive presidents and sticking his nose into just about anything he shouldn’t. I wish that the old coot would just shut up and quit reminding us of what a lousy president he was.
dcc0622 - Lake Forest, California
Carter is one of the biggest LOSER presidents we have ever had.
Dennis - Cape Coral, Florida
As a white conservative Christian who has watched all her most basic beliefs attacked by the Left for over 40 years, I’m gonna sit back, watch and enjoy the show. The lack of empathy and the hypocrisy of liberals is astounding.
Kathy Hansen - Elburn, Illinois
When someone has a true grasp of the world situation, as President Carter so clearly does, it always raises the ire of those who would prefer to stay sequestered within the comfortable confines of Neo-Con spin. If our current administration had one percent the wisdom, courage and knowledge of President Carter, many American troops might be alive and spending the holidays with their families — where they belong.
Carrie Ank - Astoria, Oregon
Good for President Carter. We do stand alone in the world in our blind, unquestioned support of Israel.
Let’s look at the truth for once. I will buy his book and hope that the situation might change for the better.
Frank Dority - Tustin, California
Every little criticism of Israel results in being called anti-semitic. It is time that Israel stop hiding behind that over-used label.
I believe that Jimmy Carter said something that needs to be said. He is trying to promote a dialogue between these brothers-under-skin, for war is the only substitute for dialogue.
Merle Mulligan - Fountain Valley, California
Oh, how I wish that old idiot would keep his mouth shut. I truly believe that he has been senile since his 40th year of life.
He says that he’s a Christian, but his actions betray him. If he’s a Christian, I’m an astronaut.
He’s a deceiver of the same order as Bill Clinton, who also says that he’s a Christian. What hypocrites!
Jean Vandruff - Westminster, California
It was courageous of Carter to clarify the issues of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. I totally agree with him and I was so pleased that he did not feel intimidated regarding the matter. I have wanted to voice such an opinion for a long time, but I fear the powerful Jewish lobby.
Dorothy Jenkins - Pomona, California
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter makes some good points. Israel should consider not being so xenophobic.
Israel appears to promote NOT a vision of an inclusive “multi-cultural,” “multi-ethnic” society (like we do in America) for Israel, but instead, promotes an exclusionary “Jewish state.” Israel appears to have a policy of segregated schools, neighborhoods, apartment complexes and even whole towns for Jews and non-Jews.
Israel can do better. Carter won the peace prize for bringing peace between Israel and Egypt. Israel should, at least, listen to Carter.
John Fleischer - Burbank, California
Jimmy Carter is right about the terrible military occupation of the Palestinian people. It is sad that congressmen, like Campbell of Orange County, can go to the Middle East and say nothing about the illegality of the Israel government in its oppression of Palestinian Christians and Muslims.
K. Young - Corona del Mar, California
I do not know what was sadder, watching Former President Carter spout lies that 100% of the Palestinians support the roadmap to peace when he knows that the Hamas Government supports the destruction of Israel and refuses to recognize Israel, or the KCET interviewer who fails to catch him in his falsehood. Former President Carter simply does not get it.
Israel has made peace with both Egypt and Jordan. Both agreements show that Israel can be a committed partner in peaceful coexistence. This, however, has not been proven by the Palestinians.
Edward Singer - Santa Monica, California
I very much admire and agree with President Carter’s assessment and his book. This is based upon my own study and observations from living in Jerusalem and seeing with my own eyes what President Carter so bravely and accurately describes in his book and interviews. Anyone who doubts should simply follow Israeli’s own reporting on websites, such as Gush-Shalom, or even their own newspaper, Ha-aretz.
Sharon Shohfi - Huntington Beach, California
I absolutely agree with President Carter. Shame on the USA for being so one-sided on Palestinian issues. Most of the blame goes to the people who have dedicated themselves to journaliam in the USA, who fails everyday to go with the mainstream ideas and who do not speak what is the truth.
Myong Chang - Torrance, California
I very much admire and agree with President Carter’s assessment and his book. This is based upon my own study and observations from living in Jerusalem and seeing with my own eyes what President Carter so bravely and accurately describes in his book and interviews. Anyone who doubts should simply follow the Israeli’s own reporting on the web sites such as Gush-Shalom or even their own newspaper Ha-aretz.
Ted Shohfi - Huntington Beach, California