Jimmy Write Book, and I Don't Care
The publication of "Palestine: Peace, Not Apartheid" by former President Jimmy Carter recalls the one time I met him. The former Georgia Governor was campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President at the home of State Rep. Harout Sanasarian in June of 1975, just over a year before the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
I asked the candidate what the US must do to achieve peace in the Middle East.
"For peace in the Middle East," Carter replied, "You need two things: Israel must have secure borders and the Palestinians must have their own homeland."
Not satisfied with the candidate's enthusiasm for a Palestinian homeland (i.e. state), I voted for Senator Henry Jackson in the Democratic Primary, but the smiling Georgian beat him and the rest is history.
Given Carter's sympathy for the Palestinians over 30 years ago, it does not surprise me that his book on the Middle-East conflict is tilted way over in the pro- Arab direction (1).
Still, Carter's effort to make peace between Egypt and Israel stands today as a win for all three countries involved: Israel, Egypt and United States. As the result of weeks of agonizing negotations at Camp David ( Maryland) under Carter's micro-management, Israel obtained its first peace treaty with an Arab country. Between 1948 and 1978, Egypt had been the leading Arab combatant in four wars with Israel ( 1948,1956,1967, and 1973) plus sponsoring terrorist attacks by Palestinians from Gaza, under Egyptian rule until the 1967 Six Day War. Since 1978, Israel has fought Hezbollah, PLO, Hamas and Iraq (2), but has had peace with Egypt. So far, so good!
Daniel Pipes has noted that Israel has also had peace with Syria during this same period, without withdrawal or a peace treaty. Yes, but if Israel had not traded the Sinai to Egypt in exchange for a peace treaty in 1978, Syria would probably have been more aggressive toward the Jewish state, expecting its erstwhile ally Egypt to lend a hand in the South. Jordan, though never as hostile as Egypt, did not make a peace treaty with Israel until well after Sadat had led the way.
On the other hand, supplies of weapons and ammunition are being smuggled into Gaza from Egypt constantly, possibly with the acquiescence of the Mubarak regime. Since Hamas is an outgrowth of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, a bitter enemy of Mubarak and the treaty with Israel, it seems plausible that Mubarak is allowing the arms smuggling in exchange for internal tranquility provided by the Brotherhood. Of course the Egyptians should seal the Gaza border, but remember that Egypt refused to re-occupy Gaza in 1978 and bears no responsibility for Sharon's decision to quit-claim the territory to the Palestine Authority in 2005. Significantly, Israel has not filed a complaint against Egypt over the smuggling with the United States, which is responsible for administering the peace treaty.
Carter liked Anwar Sadat much better than Menachem Begin, and he probably leaned harder on Begin to bridge the disagreements between the parties. Still, it was Sadat who lost his life for the treaty (3). Despite his tilt toward the Arab viewpoint, Carter was driven from office largely as the result of the Tehran Embassy takeover and hostage crisis, fomented by radical Muslims who did not appreciate Carter's efforts in the Middle East.
Carter has devoted most of his time and efforts since leaving the White House to good works, such as building houses for the homeless. Perhaps he should have built a few more houses instead of writing his Palestine book, although the latter enterprise certainly pays better.
Aside from the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty and the Iranian fiasco, Jimmy Carter will be remembered as the President who pioneered the concept of using a little-boy nickname his whole life, an idea emulated by Bill Clinton, Johnny Carson, Dick Chaney and Tommy Thompson .
As a result, someday a suave fictional superspy may introduce himself with the line:
"My name is Bond----------Jimmy Bond!"
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(1)See review by Leon Cohen on page 3, Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle,
November 24, 2006.
(2) Israel bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981, and Iraq hit Israel with 39 Scud missiles in 1991.
(3) Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Muslim Brotherhood members on Oct. 6, 1981.
I asked the candidate what the US must do to achieve peace in the Middle East.
"For peace in the Middle East," Carter replied, "You need two things: Israel must have secure borders and the Palestinians must have their own homeland."
Not satisfied with the candidate's enthusiasm for a Palestinian homeland (i.e. state), I voted for Senator Henry Jackson in the Democratic Primary, but the smiling Georgian beat him and the rest is history.
Given Carter's sympathy for the Palestinians over 30 years ago, it does not surprise me that his book on the Middle-East conflict is tilted way over in the pro- Arab direction (1).
Still, Carter's effort to make peace between Egypt and Israel stands today as a win for all three countries involved: Israel, Egypt and United States. As the result of weeks of agonizing negotations at Camp David ( Maryland) under Carter's micro-management, Israel obtained its first peace treaty with an Arab country. Between 1948 and 1978, Egypt had been the leading Arab combatant in four wars with Israel ( 1948,1956,1967, and 1973) plus sponsoring terrorist attacks by Palestinians from Gaza, under Egyptian rule until the 1967 Six Day War. Since 1978, Israel has fought Hezbollah, PLO, Hamas and Iraq (2), but has had peace with Egypt. So far, so good!
Daniel Pipes has noted that Israel has also had peace with Syria during this same period, without withdrawal or a peace treaty. Yes, but if Israel had not traded the Sinai to Egypt in exchange for a peace treaty in 1978, Syria would probably have been more aggressive toward the Jewish state, expecting its erstwhile ally Egypt to lend a hand in the South. Jordan, though never as hostile as Egypt, did not make a peace treaty with Israel until well after Sadat had led the way.
On the other hand, supplies of weapons and ammunition are being smuggled into Gaza from Egypt constantly, possibly with the acquiescence of the Mubarak regime. Since Hamas is an outgrowth of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, a bitter enemy of Mubarak and the treaty with Israel, it seems plausible that Mubarak is allowing the arms smuggling in exchange for internal tranquility provided by the Brotherhood. Of course the Egyptians should seal the Gaza border, but remember that Egypt refused to re-occupy Gaza in 1978 and bears no responsibility for Sharon's decision to quit-claim the territory to the Palestine Authority in 2005. Significantly, Israel has not filed a complaint against Egypt over the smuggling with the United States, which is responsible for administering the peace treaty.
Carter liked Anwar Sadat much better than Menachem Begin, and he probably leaned harder on Begin to bridge the disagreements between the parties. Still, it was Sadat who lost his life for the treaty (3). Despite his tilt toward the Arab viewpoint, Carter was driven from office largely as the result of the Tehran Embassy takeover and hostage crisis, fomented by radical Muslims who did not appreciate Carter's efforts in the Middle East.
Carter has devoted most of his time and efforts since leaving the White House to good works, such as building houses for the homeless. Perhaps he should have built a few more houses instead of writing his Palestine book, although the latter enterprise certainly pays better.
Aside from the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty and the Iranian fiasco, Jimmy Carter will be remembered as the President who pioneered the concept of using a little-boy nickname his whole life, an idea emulated by Bill Clinton, Johnny Carson, Dick Chaney and Tommy Thompson .
As a result, someday a suave fictional superspy may introduce himself with the line:
"My name is Bond----------Jimmy Bond!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)See review by Leon Cohen on page 3, Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle,
November 24, 2006.
(2) Israel bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981, and Iraq hit Israel with 39 Scud missiles in 1991.
(3) Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Muslim Brotherhood members on Oct. 6, 1981.
posted by Gerald S Glazer at 11:45 AM
1 Comments:
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