The Importance of Jimmy Carter

Israel and Palestine can’t seem to agree on anything.

Any agreement that would further the peace process is stifled by two inconvenient realities:

-No agreements can be debated in the first place because one side, Palestine, is politically fractured. The internationally-recognized but impotent Fatah government controls the West Bank, and the universally denounced and politically radical Hamas government controls the Gaza Strip. No government will agree to negotiate with Hamas due to their ties to terrorism, thus hampering discussions.
-Any potential agreement between the two states would be politically infeasible for an Israeli leader to endorse. An Israeli leader calling for the return to 1967 borders or for the return of the Golan Heights to Syria would face strong opposition from both the Knesset and the Israeli media (not to mention residents of settlements). Though advancing the peace process, one might decimate their chances for re-election.

So, how do humans negotiate for progress when nobody is willing to negotiate in the first place?

The only solution is for an outsider to negotiate an agreement, drawing concessions from both sides. The Solution is named Jimmy Carter.

Sadly, the solution is not being welcomed by the arrogant and ignorant Israeli government. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations called former President Jimmy Carter “a bigot” yesterday for meeting with the leader of the Hamas in Syria.

Are ad hominem attacks the new standard Israeli response to all peacemaking attempts?

Now, I’m not defending Hamas. I don’t think anyone could lay out an argument that legitimizes war or terrorism as they practice it. However, I do believe that to defeat Hamas and bring back support of the relatively reasonable Fatah government in Palestine, Israel must negotiate with Hamas so as to end the suffering of the Palestinean people in Gaza by ending the sea and land blockade that strangles their economy. Ending that suffering will erode the popular support of radical Hamas.

Hamas gets support because the people feel they have no one else to turn to. We saw the same in 1930′s Germany. With this much historical reference, I believe the Solution is before us. Will anyone listen?

Israel’s UN ambassador calls Jimmy Carter ‘a bigot’