This interesting communication came from the Council for the National Interest claiming that Jimmy Carter’s efforts to mend ties with the Jewish community were rebuffed, not only from Jewish members of the Congress, but from the Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice. Only reformed or liberal Jewish organizations and individuals (like the Religious Action Center, Israel Policy Forum, Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek V’Shalom, New Israel Fund, and a dove from AIPAC) reportedly met with and supported Carter’s efforts. Why isn’t anyone surprised?
The article bearing this news appeared in the Jewish Daily Forward on October 31, 2007.
CARTER’S EFFORTS TO MEND TIES WITH COMMUNITY GET COLD SHOULDER, with subtitle: Foxman: ‘I Didn’t Want To Be Used’
Abe Foxman of course represents the remnants of what the Anti-Defamation League used to be, when it scoured the US and reported on, and often acted upon, demonstrations of anti-Semitism. At times, it even took to the streets to counter prejudice. Today, under Foxman, the ADL has only one theme: that criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic, and its only actions are words. Foxman not only took on Jimmy Carter, but also the Mearsheimer and Walt team that excoriated the right wing Israel Lobby, noting its damage to the US as well as Israel.
Washington – Jimmy Carter’s newest efforts to repair relations with the Jewish community were rebuffed not once but twice last week, and at the very highest levels.
Carter’s first outreach effort came in an invitation to Jewish groups to discuss ways that the former president could help make the upcoming Middle East peace conference a success. While Carter invited most of the major Jewish organizations, the event was only attended by representatives of the Reform movement and by several smaller dovish Jewish groups.
Apart from his “I didn’t want to be used” comment, Foxman, on turning down Carter’s invitation, also said, “I didn’t think anything constructive could come out of the meeting, except for him being able to say he met with Jewish leaders.”
Surprising to some, in spite of strong support from liberal Jewish organizations, Carter encountered similar rebuff from liberal Jewish lawmakers on Capitol Hill. “A closed-door meeting he held with Jewish members of Congress turned into a passionate rebuke of the former president’s views on Israel and the Middle East.” The event, which was hosted by California Democrat Tom Lantos, reportedly served as a forum for Jewish Democrats to vent their outrage at Carter’s book. “I told him that the Jewish community, that has great respect for his work around the world, is extremely hurt, disappointed and frustrated from his views and that he cannot serve as an honest broker,” Gary Ackerman of NY said. A similar message was repeated by Lantos and three other Jewish lawmakers, Henry Waxman, Howard Berman and Jane Harman. When invited by this group to apologize, Carter did not do so. His strained relations with Jewish organizations are related to the publication of his book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” and remarks he made regarding the Jewish lobby’s influence on American foreign policy. As such, just what was Carter to apologize for: telling the truth?
This effort of Carter’s to approach the Jewish community is part of his work with a group known as The Elders. It was founded by South Africa’s Nelson Mandela last summer, and consists of 13 senior statesmen who are attempting to use their influence and experience to deal with the world’s most pressing conflicts. Along with Carter, members include Desmond Tutu, Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan. The group’s first mission was to Darfur. It is now looking into taking an active role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It is hard to imagine that the work of such an esteemed group of humanitarians and Nobel Peace Prize winners would not be welcome. Yet, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, and Carter himself have been called anti-Semites in the past for their advocacy of a Palestinian nation as well as criticism of human rights abuses suffered under Israeli occupation. People who stand on the other side of this group need to take a good look at themselves.
Finally,
Another stop during Carter’s day in Washington was at the State Department, where he met with Secretary of State Condolezza Rice to discuss his views on the Middle East. Rice has recently conducted a series of consultations with former administration officials in order to “draw on the historical record and experiences of others,” as described by spokesman Sean McCormack. The consultations included talks with former president Bill Clinton and several of Rice’s predecessors: Madeleine Albright, James Baker and Henry Kissinger.
But a State Department official told the Forward that the meeting with Carter was not part of these consultations.
“She was not seeking advice from him,” the official said, stressing that it was Carter who asked for the meeting and that Rice agreed “out of respect.”
Interesting. If you tell the truth about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the apartheid track it is taking, given Israel’s continuing colonization of the West Bank, you should first apologize, even if it is unclear what Carter should apologize for. Then Rice meets with Carter, “out of respect,” emphasizing she did not ask for the meeting.
Rice recently went to the Middle East including Israel in order to prepare for the upcoming Annapolis conference where the two state resolution is to be discussed, but she was only able to get an agreement on Israel’s participation if she does not discuss specifics, which is to say, so long as she does not discuss a two state solution.
George Orwell died on January 21, 1950, to early to witness these interactions.
Firstly, to characterize a collection of groups as the “Jewish Community” is to grossly mistate the currently reality. The “community” is increasingly segmented into diverse groups. None speaks for the entire “community”. Even assembling a collection of groups would not necessarily capture a true sense of the current splintering.
Secondly, whether accurate or not, titling a book with the word apartheid wasn’t likely to win Carter many new friends. If in fact he is being shunned and is actually suprised by it, he is demonstrating a stunning lack of insight. But in all fairness, as noted above, some actually did show up for his event.
keep on educating boran.
I have to say that I’m a little uncomfortable with the spectacle being described (the Lantos meeting).
Carter brokers peace with Egypt, and he has to take abuse from Lantos, Waxman, Harman, and Ackerman? What has Israel done with that peace? How have we benefited? Talk about a lack of gratitude.
Was Carter wrong to use the word apartheid? I don’t know. It seems like a way of not talking about the complexities, but others see it as a way to shift a paradigm closer to where it belongs.
Nonetheless, Carter wants the best for Israel, and he gave them a great gift…a greater gift than any president since, and they tossed it all away.
Now they dare lecture him? It doesn’t sit well with me at all.
If you looked at their histories you would probably find many opposed the peace deal between Egypt and Israel. Dershowitz admitted to this in a column a couple of years ago. Having said that I agree that calling them thei Jewish Community is wrong, even if they flatter themselves with the term. Jewish establishment would be more appropriate. Israelis themselves often describe the West Bank occupation as aparthied. Perhaps Foxman should boycott Haaretz.
Boran, that Carter failed to use judgment in using the term Apartheid to title his book is arguable. It educated a lot of people concerning the hidden reality in Israel-Palestine, and the direction Israel has been taking for years, at least since Menachum Begin’s time. Judea and Samaria is part of historical Israel and Israel has been doing everything it can to set the stage to annex those regions into Israel proper. These current maps tell the story. Why pretend? We have had enough propaganda blaming the Palestinians for what Israel intends through its actions. Reality is what it is.
Israel’s next generous offer-the disengagement (Bantustan) plan of Sharon-Olmert. The Kadima, peace party plan:
The distribution of Israeli only towns and cities in the West Bank, now being fortified and growing.
Border of the future wall cutting off the Jordan Valley and making bantustans inevitable. The line is the right is the intended path of the Wall. At present, Israel military forces are clearing the Jordan Valley of all of its Palestinian residents.
An Orwellian world is a contradiction. What Israel says and what it does falls into the category of an Orwellian deception. I would suppose Carter got tired of pretending that what is, is what it is not.
When is Apartheid not Apartheid? When practiced by Israel.
When is Torture not Torture?When practised by Israel.
To gloss over these facts as our Congress persons do and take offense when a person of President Carter’s rectitude and goodwill calls a spade a spade should offend everyone.
I for one, am in awe of President Carter’s accomplishments through his goodwill.He and possibly Al Gore stand in direct contrast to the thugs who rule over us today.
Here, here. We are kind of witnessing a turnabout with regard to the esteem we render our humanitarians and Nobel Peace Prize winners. But it will backfire.
You will note my carefully chosen phrasing above:
I merely indicated that Carter should not be suprised if his book doesn’t give rise to a uniformly warm reception
Yes you did make that remark. But did Carter really not know that his book would cause controvery. Carter is a very intelligent man and I would have to guess that his title was purposeful. Why? Because he like many others are tired of the propaganda, notions that Palestinians are to blame, that they are terrorists and deserving of their demise. I posted another article by Uri Avnery, the Israeli peace activist, which went over the various variations of propaganda to blame the Palestinians for the human rights abuses they have experienced over the years.
Human rights is a particularly honest endeavor and I don’t believe that Carter had a choice when he called a spade a spade. He made a serious contribution to perhaps the end of it, although that remains to be seen. It seems that all of the proZionist proponents have collectively smeared his effort. Will the American people believe the antiCarter critiques? I think not.
Tired of Israel telling people what to think, how to feel, and what to say. Unless they “hold the wheel,” completely and totally, they won’t even participate? Frankly, that’s petty and tyrannical.
I think Israel needs to really sit down and think of what they are doing to all…..not just a few of the ppl in that area of the world.
As I see it, they are all just out for themselves and not for anyone else. The question then becomes, ethical. Frankly I am very tired of the Jewish ppl of America not conforming to American values instead of Jewish values. If in fact they want Jewish values then move to Israel. To me it is just that simple.
I want a 2 state solution for all. It is up to the 2 states to do this not for anyone else to get it for them. It will not work out, if anyone else does it for them. They have to want it for themselves!
I frankly am tired of other nations telling us what to do and so it should be for other nations having America telling them what to do. If they have issues, then go to the UN. I really do not think they will get far, considering the many times they have overlooked the resolutions they seemingly ignore.
Shame on many ppl for confusing the issue. This is just my honest opinion….like saying who am I. But I get really sick of the Jewish ppl of our own government doing Israel’s wishes. I wish they would go to Israel for doing that.