Carter says Hamas leader committed to peace, Netanyahu not

[azurnoir]

Former US president Jimmy Carter called Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal a strong proponent of the peace process Saturday, and said he wasn’t meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because it would be “a waste of time.”

He told reporters that he didn’t ask to meet with Netanyahu or his government, and never has, because it would be a “waste of time.” He told Channel 2 in an interview broadcast Saturday that he requested to meet Rivlin, but the president’s office declined.

Israel officials said last week that Netanyahu and Rivlin had refused invitations to meet with Carter, who was described by an Israeli diplomatic source as “a disaster for Israel,” who holds “anti-Israel positions.”

Carter, who cancelled a planned visit to Gaza on this trip, said Saturday he “deplored” criminal acts by members of Hamas, but said he was looking to support moderate members of the group, which he said wasn’t a terrorist organization.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/carter-says-hamas-leader-committed-to-peace-netanyahu-not/

[Scootaloo]

1. Well... Carter's known for his naivete

[bemildred]

2. Carter sounded rather testy about the situation in Gaza. nt

[Jefferson23]

3. Good for him, call him out for what Bibi is, a waste of time. He is also correct about Hamas:

Likud officials call to omit Netanyahu's two-state declaration from party platform

The new platform is supposed to include a reference to the establishment of a Palestinian state, after the PM recognized the two-state solution principle in his 2009 Bar-Ilan University speech.
By Barak Ravid and Jonathan Lis | Dec. 25, 2012 |

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/likud-officials-call-to-omit-netanyahu-s-two-state-declaration-from-party-platform.premium-1.489731


**From the allegedly peace loving Zionist Union, a Palestinian Bantustan is ordered up:

Zionist Union platform aims to set Israel's final borders 3/8/2015

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Zionist-Union-platform-aims-to-set-Israels-final-borders-393308


Mashaal: I accept a Palestinian state on '67 borders
By JPOST.COM STAFF 11/22/2012

Hamas leader says he'll move to a peaceful path contingent on the "end of the occupation" and Palestinian statehood.

"I accept a Palestinian state according the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital, with the right to return," the Hamas leader told Christine Amanpour in Cairo.

Pushed about his party's refusal to recognize Israel, Mashaal said such a declaration could only be made once a Palestinian state has been created.

"After this state is established, it decides its standing toward Israel," the Hamas leader said

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Mashaal-I-accept-a-Palestinian-state-on-67-borders

Hamas accepts 1967 borders, but will never recognize Israel, top official says
By Haaretz Service | May 11, 2011

Hamas would be willing to accept a Palestinian state within 1967 borders, a leader of the militant group, Mahmoud Zahar, told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an on Wednesday, adding, however, that Hamas would never recognize Israel since such a move would counter the group's aim to "liberate" all of Palestine.

Zahar's comments come amid Palestinian efforts to form a unity government that would include former rivals Fatah and Hamas, following a reconciliation agreement thHamas accepts 1967 borders, but will never recognize Israel, top official sayse two factions signed last week in Cairo.

Speaking to Ma'an on Wednesday, Zahar, hinting at the possible political line of a future Palestinian unity cabinet, said that recognizing Israel would "preclude the right of the next generations to liberate the lands," wondering: "What will be the fate of the five million Palestinians in the diaspora?"


The Gaza strongman went on to tell Ma'an that Hamas would be willing to recognize a Palestinian state "on any part of Palestine," as opposed to the group's proclaimed aim to form a state "from the river to the sea."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-accepts-1967-borders-but-will-never-recognize-israel-top-official-says-1.361072


Hamas: We’ll recognize Israel within '67 borders
Published: 05.11.2006

Faction's spokesman at Palestinian parliament voices pragmatic, surprising declarations during Ramallah conference; 'we, Hamas, are committed to calm up to this moment,' he says

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3249568,00.html


Why Doesn’t Hamas Change its Charter?
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=765174

[leftynyc]

4. LOL

Good luck convincing Americans that hamas wants peace.

[azurnoir]

5. Thanks for the kick anything you wish to add concerning President Carter?

[leftynyc]

6. Nope

Not a thing. He's done my work for me - as have you.

[azurnoir]

7. Really what work have President Carter and I done for you?

[leftynyc]

8. He's made himself completely

irrelevant. He doesn't represent American thought, he doesn't even represent Democratic party thought. Not one elected Democrat refers to him about anything and the only time I see his name is right here in the dungeon of DU. And you and your pals helped that happen.

[azurnoir]

9. Really you mean like this?

[leftynyc]

10. LOL - nice pic

Irrelevant to the discussion but nice pic. When, in the last 25 years or so, has any Democrat sought his thoughts and used them to make policy? The answer is never.

[azurnoir]

11. when in the past 25 years has any politician usd a former politicians words to make policy?

no I don't mean former pols offering advice (keeps them in the news) I mean the POTUS seeking it and then basing decisions on it?

[leftynyc]

12. Pres Obama has often

had Bill Clinton for advice - has admitted that several times. He's even asked for Bush's although I suspect it was to do the exact opposite. But Carter? No - he's considered one of the worst Presidents of modern times. You don't even see his own party mention him much and nobody hold up his Presidency as something to emulate. You can pretend otherwise all you want, it's not going to make Jimmy Carter a player on the world stage. And this topic is one of the major reasons why although I still have the NY Times edition with him, Begin and Sadat signing the Camp David accords. Sadat was a man of serious courage.

[azurnoir]

13. lLinky thingy please I've seen Bill Clinton offering advice but not Obama asking for it

and Obama bases his policies on what Bill Clinton says ?

and I do not have to pretend anything President Carter is still a player just not apparently on your team

[leftynyc]

15. You seem to think I care

if you believe me or not. He has said it during interviews - especially early on and specifically about budgetary matters. Meanwhile, I haven't heard Carter's name - except here - on the world stage in decades. If my "team" is the one that scorns terrorists and doesn't think hamas are bunch of innocent angels, yup, that's my team - along with the vast majority of Americans. A player? That's pretty funny.

[oberliner]

17. Former President Jimmy Carter says Obama never calls him for advice

The former commander-in-chief expressed sadness during an interview Sunday that Obama doesn’t ever call him for advice.

“Unfortunately, the answer is no,” Carter, 89, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” after he was asked whether Obama ever calls him to ask for his opinion on domestic and international matters.

“President Obama doesn’t, but previous Presidents have called on me and the Carter Center to take action,” Carter added, listing situations in which former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and even Ronald Reagan have enlisted his help or opinion.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/president-jimmy-carter-obama-calls-advice-article-1.1731169

[azurnoir]

18. The subject was Bill Clinton who offers quite frequently but seems not to be asked

but I do understand the feelings about President Carter, really I do. I think they started in early November of 1979 when some folks realized if only they'd stalled a bit longer .................

[oberliner]

19. "when in the past 25 years has any politician usd a former politicians words to make policy?"

That was the question you asked, wasn't it?

President Carter has indicated that every US President over the last 25 years has consulted him for advice except for Obama.

[guillaumeb]

14. Carter made himself irrelevant

by daring to tell the truth?

Sad but true.

[LeftishBrit]

16. He's half right: neither of them is!