Jimmy Carter's Ridiculous Apology For Criticizing The Occupation

[Meshuga]

By MJ Rosenberg

Anyone who doubts that criticizing Israeli policies will endanger anyone's political prospects need only take note of former President Carter's apology to the pro-Israel community for criticizing the Israeli occupation.

No, Carter is not worried about his own prospects but those of his grandson, Jason, who is running for the Georgia State Senate. Carter issued his apology 11 days after Jason (who, by all reports, is a remarkable young man) announced his candidacy.

Note that Carter does not specifically retract anything he has previously said or written. Even love for a grandson will not allow Carter to retract facts. He just apologizes for any hurt he may caused although the people he "hurt" can sure use some hurting on this issue.

Of course, the only warranted apologies would be from the right wing of the pro-Israel community for viciously libeling Carter as an anti-Semite for telling the truth about the occupation. It should also apologize to him for refusing to recognize that the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty, which he brokered, was the single most pro-Israel act ever taken by an American President.

Thanks to Carter, thousands of Israelis who would have died in wars with Egypt are alive. Thanks to Carter not a single shot has been fired between Israelis and Egyptians since 1979.

By almost any standard, President Carter did more for Israel than any other president before or since and infinitely more than George W. Bush...

(...)

As for the peace wing of the pro-Israel community, we owe him our deep appreciation.

(...)

There was a viable, thriving and secure State of Israel before the occupation began. There will again be such a place when, and if, it ends. Those who support the status quo are the ones who should be apologizing because they are the ones who contribute to the situation which could well produce Israel's demise. For them, a smaller Israel without settlements, not under the control of religious fanatics and extremists, is a disaster. For those who really care about Israel, it is the only way to preserve the Zionist enterprise.

(...)

But the status quo lobby and its friends... are interested in expansion, suppressing the Palestinians, and allowing the rabbinate to maintain a religiously exclusive state. The founders of Israel, those heroic secular socialists, would be appalled (although not surprised) to know that the existence of the state they created as a homeland for Jews is being jeopardized by the very people they despised and worked so hard to keep out of power. These are the people who would prefer no Jewish state at all to one without Biblical frontiers and an oppressed Palestinian population. What stupidity! The right created nothing, not a single institution in Israel, and yet they are in a position to destroy it all.

(...)

Just for the record: if you support the occupation, if you attack those like Carter for trying to end it, you are no friend of Israel's. It is that simple.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/28/jimmy_carters_ridiculous_apology_for_criticizing_t/#more

[Violet_Crumble]

1. The last line in the OP is so worthy of repeating!

'Just for the record: if you support the occupation, if you attack those like Carter for trying to end it, you are no friend of Israel's. It is that simple.'

Thanks for posting that, Meshuga! :)

[snagglepuss]

2. +1

[Violet_Crumble]

5. Hi Snagglepuss...

:hi:

[aranthus]

9. Some clarity.

1. Carter did not apologize for criticizing the occupation, nor should he.
2. Although there may have been some on the far right who did so, in the main Carter was not attacked for merely criticizing the occupation, nor for trying to end it. Instead he was challenged for comments that went beyond mere criticism, and for dishonest attacks on Israel.
3. His "open letter" is more about improving his grandson's chances for a successful political career, than about any true feelings of remorse that he may have over things that he said. If he were sincere, he would have been specific about what it was that he believes was wrong about his past statements, as others have been.

[Violet_Crumble]

17. I agree totally about point 3...

Politicians are all the same deep down as far as I'm concerned...

I disagree with point #2, btw, I was here at DU during the carry on about Jimmy Carter, and it wasn't merely a few on the far right. In this thread right now there's an accusation that Jimmy Carter is an antisemitic 'asshole'. I totally disagree with any of those accusations as Jimmy Carter's criticism is legitimate criticism of the occupation, and there's nothing antisemitic about it...

[azurnoir]

3. Carter already addressed his Grandson in an interview with JTA

Carter: Grandson’s race not reason enough to apologize

But in an interview with JTA, Carter insisted that ethnic electoral considerations were not reason enough to reach out to the Jewish community, although he did not outright deny that it was a factor.

"Jason has a district, the number of Jewish voters in it is only 2 percent," he said, chuckling.

In a statement issued through his campaign manager, the younger Carter said the statement was not connected to his campaign.

"While I was very happy to see my grandfather's letter, it was completely unrelated to my campaign. The letter is a product of discussions with some of his friends in the Jewish community that have been going on for a long time. I, like many others, see this as a great step towards reconciliation," Jason Carter said in the statement. "As for my campaign, I intend to reach out to all people in District 42 and work hard to earn their trust and their votes. Ultimately, this campaign will focus on the people of this district and the issues that a good advocate in the Georgia State Senate can affect, including fixing a broken transportation system, getting the economy moving again, and providing a first-class education to our kids."

It seemed clear, however, that Jason Carter saw the apology, issued earlier this month through JTA, as a means of outreach. The younger Carter has been trying for days to reach Liane Levetan, a former state senator and CEO of DeKalb County, and as soon as they connected Tuesday, he directed her to the JTA Web site to read the letter.

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/12/22/1009863/carter-grandsons-race-not-reason-enough-to-apologize

[aranthus]

10. And we're supposed to believe that? n/t

[azurnoir]

11. why not do you believe that it would be necessary

for Carter to apologize to protect his Grandson's campaign, or is this a "lefthanded" statement of Carters alleged antiSemitism because you seem to believe that is why he's doing it and if you do not believe that Carters apology is to protect his Grandson what is the purpose of your statement?

[aranthus]

12. More clarity.

First, I am not saying that it was necessary. I have no idea what the a Jew, or any other person, in Jacob Carter's district thinks of all of this, and whether they would vote against Jacob Carter because of what his grandfather wrote. I'm saying that the Carters thought that it would be helpful to the grandson's campaign, and that their denials that politics was the primary motivation behind it are disingenuous at best.

Second, I don't think that Carter's "apology" was sincere at all, or even an apology. If it had been, he would have specifically identified things that he said that he now regrets. He didn't.

Third, the timing is suspicious. Jimmy Carter himself points out that this sort of open letter is more appropriate during the period of Rosh Hashana-Yom Kippour. Why did he wait until now to issue it? It wasn't as if he was previously unaware of the concern in the Jewish community about his prior statements. The logical trigger is Jacob Carter's run for a State Senate seat.

I think the main, and perhaps only reason for this open letter is to improve the grandson's election chances.

[azurnoir]

13. How would it improve his Granndson's

chances in a state election? Carter states this not the case and as it is a a state election and not one for a federal post I would have to believe this, as to timing I do not know however Carter is an intelligent enough man to be able to predict his statement being interpreted in the manner it has been

[aranthus]

14. It panders to a perceived influential minority.

But I suspect you already knew that. It's certainly implied in the JTA article. Given the lack of any real apology, and the suspicious timing, why do you think we should take the Carter's at their word?

[azurnoir]

15. It panders nothing but more smears

as I pointed out the reaction to Carters statement was quite predictable

[aranthus]

16. What? n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Yes, it was a ridiculous apology.

It is almost as ridiculous as this article.

[Violet_Crumble]

6. What in yr opinion was ridiculous about the article?

I thought it was a pretty good article, especially that last sentence, but I would be interested in hearing yr opinion...

[Meshuga]

7. You might disagree with the article

or parts of it and that is fine. But what is it that makes you disagree with it and find it ridiculous? I can't sincerely believe you can't agree with any of it. I also think the founders of Israel would be appalled by the right destroying the Jewish state they envisioned.

From the way things are moving I also believe that anyone who supports the status quo lobby are no friend of Israel. Not that they dislike Israel but they are contributing to its demise.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[shira]

18. Memo for Jimmy Carter: How would one know you're really sorry? (Ed Koch)

Former President Jimmy Carter recently sent a letter to the JTA, which is a wire service for Jewish newspapers. The letter was made public by the JTA on December 21st, along with the following statement:

“Jimmy Carter asked the Jewish community for forgiveness for any stigma he may have caused Israel. In a letter released exclusively to JTA, the former U.S. president sent a seasonal message wishing for peace between Israel and its neighbors, and concluded: ‘We must recognize Israel’s achievements under difficult circumstances, even as we strive in a positive way to help Israel continue to improve its relations with its Arab populations, but we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel. As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so.’ ‘Al Het’ refers to the Yom Kippur prayer asking God forgiveness for sins committed against Him. In modern Hebrew it refers to any plea for forgiveness. Carter has angered some U.S. Jews in recent years with writings and statements that place the burden of peacemaking on Israel, that have likened Israel’s settlement policies to apartheid, and that have blamed the pro-Israel lobby for inhibiting an evenhanded U.S. foreign policy.”

Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, a leading advocate for the Jewish community, responded as follows: “We welcome any statement from a significant individual such as a former president who asks for Al Het. To what extent it is an epiphany, time will tell. There certainly is hurt which needs to be repaired.”

Having known Jimmy Carter when I was a Congressman and Mayor, I have a minimum of high regard for him. I believe that he has often used his position -- most recently as a writer of books – to damage the State of Israel, and in doing so, he has injured the Jewish community worldwide. Catholics in every land have a special reverence for the Vatican as they should, it being the heart of the Catholic religion, the abode of the Pope. Jews likewise hold a special tie with Israel. That bond comes from, among other things, the knowledge that wherever there is a Jewish community somewhere in the world in peril, there is a country – only one country – that will immediately take Jews in and provide them with assistance, protection and full citizenship. That of course is Israel. That is why Jews feel so protective about that small land, which now for the first time has a Jewish population, according to Wikipedia, 5,435,800, that is the largest of any country in the world. Formerly, that distinction was held by the United States with 5,128,000 Jews making up its population.

When Jimmy Carter asks the Jewish community for forgiveness, I believe it is incumbent upon him to list what he believes he has done that requires forgiveness. I also think we should know, if after leaving the presidency he received any gifts, lecture fees or loans from Arab nations. He should make available any correspondence he has had during that period with Arab governments and list all the compensation he has received from them. I also would suggest that he hold a press conference at which journalists could ask him questions on the entire subject. Then and only then would the Jewish community be in a position to decide whether or not to grant him forgiveness. He should also know there is no one person who can grant him forgiveness in the Jewish community.

The thought surely has occurred to many as it has to me, why is he suddenly so concerned and in need of forgiveness? I believe he, like most of us at his age, 85, have thoughts concerning our mortality. I know that I do. He is a religious man, and occasionally, a Sunday school teacher. His Baptist faith tells him that he will be held accountable by God for his statements and actions here on earth. I suspect he is mindful of the Biblical admonition in Psalms 129, “They will be humiliated and will fall backwards, all enemies of Zion.” Skeptics say his sudden interest in bettering relations with the Jewish community comes as a result of his grandson’s running for public office in a community with a large Jewish population.

My advice to Jimmy Carter is to come clean. I believe that we Jews are a forgiving people, but we are also a people who, having been brutalized through the centuries, are suspicious of those who at the end of their lives wish to make amends but have not demonstrated any repentance. What does President Carter intend to do with the balance of his life to remedy the harm and injury to the Jewish people that he has inflicted over the years?

Edward I. Koch, who served as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989, is a partner in the law firm of Bryan Cave.