Report: Jimmy Carter to Meet With Hamas Leader in Syria

[BobbyVan]

Source: Fox News

Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly preparing an unprecedented meeting with the leader of Hamas, an organization that the U.S. government considers one of the leading terrorist threats in the world.

The Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that Carter was planning a trip to Syria for mid-April, during which he would meet with Khaled Meshal, the exiled head of the Palestinian terror group Hamas, on April 18.

Deanna Congileo, Carter’s press secretary, confirmed in an e-mail to FOXNews.com that Carter will be in the Mideast in April. Pressed for comment, Congileo did not deny that the former president is considering visiting Meshal.

“President Carter is planning a trip to the Mideast next week; however, we are still confirming details of the trip and will issue a press release by the end of this week,” wrote Congileo. “I cannot confirm any specific meetings at this point in time.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,348413,00.html

[Imperialism Inc.]

1. Hamas is one of the leading terrorist threats in the world?

Oh fox news. I see.

[Javaman]

3. You see according to faux news only elected parties are terrorists...

those appointed or win by coup de estate are our friends.

[tekisui]

5. Then why are we so worried about al-qeada in iraq?

They are so full of shit. Their lies contradict their lies.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. Pres. Carter is one of my favorite men.

If anyone can help this situation, he can.

[Phx_Dem]

4. Except he burned all his bridges with Israel

So it's extremely hard for me to see how he will be effective when one side has no respect for him.


edit: spelling

[leftynyc]

6. Very true

I can't even imagine how he thinks he's going to help this situation now. He just doesn't have the credibility anymore. A shame really.

[heliarc]

8. Doesn't have credibility?

Silliness. He has tons of cred for calling a spade a spade. Th Zionist expansion of Israel into the settlements is apartheid and he called it as he saw it. Rare to see that kind of courage while the criticism of zionism is taboo in this country. Carter continues to be one of my heroes thank you very much. If you have a problem with standing up for the Palestinian plight, than you should probably read rachel corrie's emails... http://www.rachelcorrie.org/emails.htm

[leftynyc]

10. Your response is exactly why

he doesn't have credibility with ISRAEL. If you only have credibility with one side, you're worthless.

[heliarc]

11. Maybe credibility is the wrong word.

He might be biased, but I still think that his analysis of the situation is correct, and his concerns are still directed at peace. I don't see any evidence of corruption or misdeed. Perhaps he loses "clout" or negotiating power, but he's still an ex-US President who didn't have to resign in disgrace. I don't think he has lost any credibility.

[EFerrari]

15. I believe you are mistaken.

There is a good deal of support for his efforts in Israel although not among the right wing political class.

I haven't looked for a while, but there is likely a lot of support for the policy he suggests among sane people, like Women in Black and among the refuseniks and among progressives.

Israel is not the right wing of that nation just as America is not the right wing here. It s a mistake to confuse right wing PR for a whole people.

[heliarc]

7. Not hard to burn your bridges with Israel.

Lots of criticisms of Zionism no matter how small are labeled Anti-Semitism in a heartbeat.

[struggle4progress]

12. Carter seems damn near the only person with any trackrecord of success in IP peacemaking

[struggle4progress]

13. White House urges Carter not to meet Hamas leader

From Elise Labott
CNN State Department Producer
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration has urged former President Jimmy Carter not to go forward with plans to meet with the leader of Hamas, the U.S. State Department said Thursday ...

The meeting originally was to include a delegation of world leaders, including former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former South African President Nelson Mandela, but the group issued a statement Wednesday saying it was postponing its visit ...

Carter spokeswoman Deanna Congileo said she could not confirm or deny whether any meeting might take place during Carter's trip.

Mandela launched the council of world leaders known as "The Elders." The group is visiting Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia on a peace mission ...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/10/carter.hamas/

[EFerrari]

14. I agree. He is being helpful in opening up the discussion.

And people who claim he has no credibility are simply showing their own bias.

[Hugabear]

9. This is what you get when you get your news from FAUX news

Hamas is the legitimately elected representative of the Palestinian people. If you want to deal with the Palestinians, you have to deal with Hamas. Is that hard for repukes to understand?