NJDC: Carter Does Not Represent Dems on Israel

Ira,
I find your comments repulsive in light of the nature that the oppression of the Palestinian people has become another excuse for “preemptive” agression.
Has this not been going on for the past 50 years without any resolution except for more agression towards each other.
I am anticipating that this would be the same thinking of a preemptive strike against Iran.
Is there no concept of soverignty anymore or is it simply “might is right”.
Very unjewish in thinking.

Dear Ira,
Rather than debate opinions with the like of those who claim that Israel is and has been responsible for the failure of peace perhaps you could run a (1) time-table and (2) coupled with the substance of the event/decision of the history of Israel in terms of the formation and vote of the UN of the State of Israel, the reactions of Israel’s neighbors in words and conflict/terror, the offers for peace by either side and any conditions linked to that peace and the manner in which Israel currently sits - and has sat formerly on land which neighbors claim for themselves or allegedly for the Palestinians.
In my opinion such a time-table would clarify which states and/or groups represent attempts for peace and which react to hostility with defense.
If in the face of such objective data a Paul Schlein and others are still maintaining their opinion, it would clear that it is an emotional reaction which refuses to acknowledge the facts of the history.
Alternatively, present a time-table of aggressions or hostilities against a sovereign country and the consequences to determine when and who returned to original borders, beginning with the United States and its military conflicts.
Lastly, I would urge a time-table of dates, amounts and origins of funds made available to the Palestinian/Fatah Authority to handle internally for their own needs and how those funds were dispersed and the accounting of such funds.
BDLerner

Paul, I am Jewish and a Democrat too - but I have to tell you that myopic “shalom to everyone” passages like yours in defense of “oppressed and discriminated against” Palestinians who are in reality brutalized mentally and physically by their corrupt leadership that only wants Jewish state of Israel to disappear. Your school of thought - “give Arabs more and expect peace” back failed times and times again - just look at what became of Gaza that was given back in 2005 w/o preconditions.  NJDC is by far not the conservative Jewish outlet but this time I agree with Ira’s assessment of Carter’s constant lies about “Israel apartheid” that he has been spreading since arafat’s times and still does. Just get facts and get real, please!

Ira, I agree with Paul Schlein. You are wrong in stating that former President Jimmy Carter fails to condemn violence, as he has condemned the violence on both sides. In his September 6th op-ed, Carter very accurately explains Israel’s occupation of the Palestinians, the removing of people from their homes and farms, and the siege on Gaza. Of course I’m opposed to terrorism, but even the Hamas leadership has stated that it recognizes Israel within the pre-June 1967 borders. When the U.S. pressures Israel to stop building more settlements in the West Bank and tear the existing ones down, and to agree to a CONTIGEOUS Palestinian state, there will be peace. I believe that President Obama is working on this and I support his efforts, which btw he has been attacked for. I also have to mention that you are wrong in stating in your headline that former President Carter doesn’t represent the Democrats on Israel. According to this poll 75% of the American people say that the settlements must go http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/05/02-5 Here is another poll from J Street showing that the majority of American Jews feel the same way, and that Hamas must be brought into the negotiations http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2009/03/23/1003915/new-j-street-poll-american-jews-want-us-engagement-in-peace-process.

President Carter is not representing our Democratic party views on the continuingIsraeli- Arab conflict. He is not a representative of the Policies of this administration. He should stop fueling the fire.  Although we all want peace in the Middle East, it is more than obvious that the true agenda of the Palestinians is to anililate the State of Israel. It seems that Mr. Carter should be siding with a Democratic nation who really wants to live in peace, rather than standing with the terror state of Hamas.  It is amazing that people seem to forget that Arafat was responsible for the youth movement of the PLO when these kids, at very young ages were using sling shots against Israeli citizens. Israel must at all cost protect themselves and Mr. Carter’s message can be ringing loudly in Iran as well.  It is appalling that Mr. Carter is placing all the responsibility totally on Israel. What is his point? He is also fueling some of the Anti- Semetic views in this country and we already have enough problems with that.

As a proud Jew and a committed Democrat, I am appalled at the chutzpah of Jimmy Carter and those on the fringes of American political thought (right and left wing) who seek to demonize Israel. The Jewish state is as imperfect as our own nation, but as the only democracy in the middle east, we must embrace our close ally—not allienate our friends with President Carter’s one-sided rhetoric. Perhaps Mr. Carter should take a lesson from Democrats like Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy who sought to strengthen Israel, not demean it.

I find your comments, Mr. Schlein, repulsive in your twisting of facts and your obvious failure to acknowledge History.  Carter is a failed President, desperately trying to save his reputation in the History book.  He’s a fool and a liar.

I agree with Mr. Schlein.  Jimmy Carter’s comments are needed because, in this country anyway, we don’t hear that side of the discussion.  The Jewish voice is very loud, but the Palestinian voice is muted.

American Jews need to get real about how Israel treats its Arab citizens within Israel and the Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza. If the US government treated any minority group in the US in the same way, the Jews here would be the first to protest. Do you think it’s possible, for instance, for an Arab family to get an apartment anywhere it wants to in Tel Aviv? I don’t .  Segregation? You bet there is.

Thank you Judith! Speaking as a Jew I have to say in reference to some of the other comments here, that there are some Jews who oppose oppression except when it’s committed by Israel. Brynababy’s statement that “Carter is a failed President, desperately trying to save his reputation in the History book.  He’s a fool and a liar,” is totally ignorant! It was Carter who brought Sadat and Begin together in 1977 and making peace between Israel and Egypt. He has made much publicized peace efforts in North Korea and Haiti, serving former President Bill Clinton. Carter monitored numerous elections in countries throughout the world to verify that they were fair. He founded Habit for Humanity. He received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. While I was disappointed with Carter on some issues while he was President, it was he who said that we need to conserve energy and end our dependence on oil. His successor Ronald Reagan through that all away. Brynababy, I guess that from what you said that you think that Reagan was a better President.