Interview with Jimmy Carter about his new book

[jaybeat]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6543594

Jimmy Carter on Conflict in the Middle East

Fresh Air from WHYY, November 27, 2006 · Former President Jimmy Carter addresses the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in his new book, Palestine Peace Not Apartheid. Carter has founded a conflict resolution organization and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation work.

From the parts that I heard, Terry Gross had her hat handed to her by the former pres. It seemed like she kept trying to bait him (harping on the title of the book as "provocative"), and Jimmy just kept firing back with facts. One of his best points was the fact that there has long been a vigorous debate inside Israel around the pros and cons of any particular action or policy of the current Israeli government, but that kind of debate is *never* reported in the mainstream US media or held between US politicians.

Like the book or not, this interview deserves a listen: he makes a very compelling case.

[cornermouse]

1. I heard that.

It was a good interview and I agree with Carter. I think you can and should hold Israel responsible when they do things that are clearly wrong without breaking some sort of biblical taboo. You can't condemn the Holocaust and congratulate Israel for reducing some of the Palestinians to a single meal a day and you can't cry foul about Germany stealing Jewish valuables during WWII and tell Israel "good job" when they decide to keep money that legally belongs to the Palestinians.

[chimpymustgo]

2. I heard it too (he's on Larry King right now 9:45 pm EST).

I usually find Terry Gross to be an exemplary interviewer, but I was quite put off by her...snarkiness? She kept asking Carter if he was "personally" disappointed/pissed off with Israel. She was just a bit off her usual (amazingly professional, prepared and FAIR) game.

[Scurrilous]

3. Carter: Israeli 'domination' over Palestinians is 'atrocious'

<snip>

"Former Democratic President Jimmy Carter called Israeli "domination" over Palestinians "atrocious" during an interview Monday on ABC's Good Morning America, RAW STORY has learned.

Appearing on the morning talk show to promote his new book, Palestine Peace Not Apartheid, Carter dismissed criticism by some Democrats that his book comes down too harshly on America's key ally in the Middle East.

Robin Roberts told Carter that "many people find surprising that you come down a little hard on Israel, and that there have been some key Democrats who have distanced themselves a little bit from your view on Israel."

"In fact, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said 'it is wrong to suggest that the Jewish people would support a government in Israel or anywhere else that institutionalizes ethnically based suppression, and Democrats reject that allegation vigorously,'" Roberts said. "What is your response to that?"

"Well, Robin, I have spent the last 30 years trying to find peace for Israel and Israel's neighbors, and the purpose of this book is to do that," Carter responded. "But you can't find peace unless you address the existing issues honestly and frankly."

more

[oberliner]

4. John Conyers chides Carter on ‘apartheid’

U.S. lawmaker chides Carter on ‘apartheid’

A leading U.S. black congressman called former President Carter to chide him for titling his new book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.”

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) said the use of apartheid in the title “does not serve the cause of peace and the use of it against the Jewish people in particular, who have been victims of the worst kind of discrimination, discrimination resulting in death, is offensive and wrong.”

In his statement Tuesday, Conyers said he called Carter “to express my concerns about the title of the book, and to request that the title be changed. President Carter does not build upon his career as a proponent of peace in the Middle East with this comparison and I hope he and his publisher will reconsider this decision.”

http://jta.org/page_view_breaking_story.asp?intid=5272

[jaybeat]

5. Carter talked about this on NPR

As I recall (no transcript online that I can find), she grilled him on the use of the "A" word, and he totally and eloquently held his ground. Apartheid means "separateness." In the West Bank, there are roads only for Israelis to use. Israelis and Palestinians are kept separate in many ways. Yet, inside Israel, Arabs and Jews can both be citizens, and are not segregated. I think she shot back with the rationalization that the separation was a response to Palestinian attacks. Without missing a beat, he stated that, from the 2 intifadas, Palestinian civilian deaths outnumber Israeli civilian deaths by about 4 to 1.

His basic point, over and over again, was like his response to Pelosi--there's never going to be a way out unless we tell the truth. Unless we acknowledge what's really going on, we'll never be able to help the people there to live in peace.

Seems to me he has an excellent point, especially given the current administration's "faith-based" approach and loathing of facts and truth. He also slammed Bush for making *no* effort whatsoever in six years to try and get things back on track.