Jimmy Carter Confuses Israel as ‘Jewish State’ for Meaning All Arabs Must Convert

[shira]

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter confused Israel’s demand for the Palestinian Authority to recognize it as a ‘Jewish state’ for meaning that all Arabs living there would need to convert.

In an interview with the Associated Press on Monday, Carter said, “Israel can claim `We are a Jewish state.’ I don’t think the Arab countries will contradict that Jewish statement. But to force the Arab people to say that all the Arab people that they have in Israel have to be Jews, I think that’s going too far.”

Carter continued, incorrectly implying that the 1.5 million Arab-Israelis citizens would either have to convert to Judaism or leave, rather than recognize that the essence of the country, it’s laws, calendar, legal structure, would be based, as they are, on Jewish tradition, rather than Muslim or Christian ideals.

“I don’t see how the Palestinians or the Arab world can accept that premise, that Israel is an exclusively Jewish state,” Carter said. “This has never been put forward in any of the negotiations in which I was involved as president, or any president, before (Benjamin) Netanyahu became prime minister this time. And now it has been put into the forefront of consideration.”

more...
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/03/25/jimmy-carter-confuses-israel-as-jewish-state-for-meaning-all-arabs-must-convert/

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

2. Thank you for posting Algermeiner's lie, Shira.

Also thank you for moving it forward.

The carter paragraph that you didn't post...for obvious reasons.

“Israel can claim `We are a Jewish state.’ I don’t think the Arab countries will contradict that Jewish statement. But to force the Arab people to say that all the Arab people that they have in Israel have to be Jews, I think that’s going too far,” Carter said.

Carter didn't mention a religion per se, now did he? He didn't say that anybody would have to convert.

Oh, and here's a interesting tidbit from Shira on Jewishness.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113460642#post6

What I'm trying to say is that by "Jewish", these price tag thugs aren't necessarily being described by their religion but by their ethnicity. This is what confuses so many outsiders as to the importance of a Jewish state. Not Jewish in the religious sense but ethnic.

There is no confusion, Shira, except for what you are peddling.

Carter wasn't saying that anybody had to convert. The point of contention is that if Israel wants to be called a Jewish State, but that would be a problem for a quarter of its inhabitants who aren't Jewish.


Carter also mentioned this.

“I don’t see how the Palestinians or the Arab world can accept that premise, that Israel is an exclusively Jewish state,” Carter said.

“This has never been put forward in any of the negotiations in which I was involved as president, or any president, before (Benjamin) Netanyahu became prime minister this time. And now it has been put into the forefront of consideration,” he added.

Keep on peddling your spin, Shira, and we will be here to embarrass the hell out of you for posting trash.

[shira]

3. Wow. Just wow. Tell me, how will the non-Jews of Israel become Jews....

...if conversion is not required? Riddle us that one, please.

Also, Jewish State recognition was put forward in negotiations b/w Livni (representing Olmert) and the PA in 2007, more than a year before Netanyahu took office:
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/160131/did-netanyahu-invent-the-demand-that-israel-be-recognized-as-a-jewish-state

Representing Israel’s liberal Kadima-led coalition in Annapolis prior to Netanyahu’s election in 2009, Livni raised the subject of Israel’s Jewish character with the Palestinian negotiating team. The transcription of the ensuing discussion is choppy, but the gist is unmistakable:

TZIPI LIVNI: I just want to say something. …Our idea is to refer to two states for two peoples. Or two nation states, Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace and security with each state constituting the homeland for its people and the fulfillment of their national aspirations and self determination…

AKRAM HANIYEH: This refers to the Israeli people?

LIVNI: (Visibly angered.) I think that we can use another session – about what it means to be a Jew and that it is more than just a religion. But if you want to take us back to 1947 — it won’t help. Each state constituting the homeland for its people and the fulfillment of their national aspirations and self determination in their own territory. Israel the state of the Jewish people – and I would like to emphasize the meaning of “its people” is the Jewish people — with Jerusalem the united and undivided capital of Israel and of the Jewish people for 3007 years… (The Palestinian team protests.) You asked for it. (AHMED QUEREI: We said East Jerusalem!) …and Palestine for the Palestinian people. We did not want to say that there is a “Palestinian people” but we’ve accepted your right to self determination.

AHMED QUEREI: Why is it different?

LIVNI: …I didn’t ask for something that relates to my own self. I didn’t ask for recognizing something that is the internal decision of Israel. Israel can do so, it is a sovereign state. (We want you to recognize it.) The whole idea of the conflict is … the entire point is the establishment of the Jewish state.

…There is something that is shorter. I can read something with different wording:
That the ultimate goal is constituting the homeland for the Jewish people and the Palestinian people respectively, and the fulfillment of their national aspirations and self determination in their own territory.

As you read on in the article, you'll see that recognition of a Jewish State goes back further, to at least 2003 when a bunch of Israeli leftwingers and liberals pushed forward with the Geneva Initiative:
http://www.geneva-accord.org/mainmenu/recognition-of-israel-as-a-jewish-state

And then there's Arafat admitting to a Jewish state as far back as 1988 (on video) and in an Haaretz 2004 interview:
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/165975/video-arafat-recognizes-israel-as-a-jewish-state

So Carter was wrong on both counts and Algemeiner wasn't lying at all.

[shira]

4. Jimmy Carter: Israel Boycott Is Too Much

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday that he doesn't support the Palestinian-led "boycott, divest, sanction" campaign against Israel but said products made in Israel-occupied Palestinian territories should be clearly labeled so buyers can make a choice about them.

Carter told The Associated Press in an interview that he and the other retired senior leaders known as the "Elders" recently discussed the economic pressure campaign against Israeli occupation. The Elders group was formed by Nelson Mandela in 2007, and includes senior and retired leaders who work together on peace-building and humanitarian initiatives.

"We decided not to publicly endorse any kind of embargo, or so forth, against Israeli invasion, or occupying troops in Palestine," Carter said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/24/jimmy-carter-israel_n_5022771.html?utm_hp_ref=politics