Jimmy Carter, his apology and Western hatred of Israel

Satan like nothing better than to pit Christians against Jews. He gets a special kick out of that and he uses imposters of Christianity to do it. Just as he used the core Masonic leadership of the RC church in WW2 he will use all the liberal church leaders in coming years. Expect many splits as real Christians break away from these institutions, and I expect a split soon if the RC church over Abortion and other conservative core issues.

Bill Clinton still has a chance to earn one for handing Haiti over to the IMF in 2010

Or could it be that: 1 - The West thinks Sudan is nothing, has nothing. Traditionally, Africa has been marginalised, and forgotton, so why change now? 2 - China is going to become THE SUPERPOWER very soon, so lets not piss her off now?

Isn't it just sooooo easy to preach democracy from cosy NYC! Israel has such different issues to deal with than America. If it was run like the US, there'd be major suicide bombings every day in major cities. Would the US tolerate this in her cities? I think not. Don't forget: G.W.Bush, the former president of the United States of Democracy decided to ignore a UN resolution and go to Iraq, and install people who would ultimately kill Saddam. And you think America is democratic??? Glass houses my friend...glass houses.

I often hear people say that Christians hate Jews, and they often use the examples of hitler, etc. First of all, hitler wasn't a Christian, and by the way, catholics are not Christians either, they are polar opposites. True Christians love the Jews because the Jews are God's chosen people. Do a little research for yourself instead of regurgitating something that you heard from someone else. Maybe start with "the berean call".

Israel does not have to apologize for the West Bank settlements. This is one of the canards that the Left in Israel continue to repeat. Please read this terrific article. http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=2386940

Let's not forget: while Carter's is credited with the great achievement of the Israeli-Egyptian peace, in the U.S. he is considered a failed president. It seems he has devoted his post-presidential life to redeem himself by his various peace initiatives, many of them quite laudable. Still his basic motivation remains the self-aggrandizement of Jimmy Carter. Now, the book, with its demagogic title has earned him some publicity points in the short term, however, in the longer term it has put him out of the game as a potential mediating actor in the middle east. Certainly no Israeli figure would like to be seen dealing with him. Well that is not good for what Jimmy wants. So as a good christian, you apologize, show the other cheek, take the high ground in showing everybody you have the self-confidence to admit a mistake and let the games continue.

It just kills some people that after 2000 years of persecution because they don't follow a certain religion and that now that Israel is a strong country (although very small) and able to actually defend itself, there are many people that would like Israel to disappear. Why do you think the holocaust was allowed to happen by the rest of the world.

It is not clear why Carter apologized. Bishop Tutu and Nelson Mandela declared that occupied Palestinians live in apartheid conditions - they know what they are talking about - and the did not apologize. Israel is accused of war crimes for targeting civilians, rabbis demand that non-jewish infants be killed, organs of Palestinians are harvested, yet Israel continues to declare that it is a society honoring freedom and human rights. Give us a break!

Carter's book and title very clear that the occupation regime of the West Bank was apartheid-like, not inside- the -green- line Israel. Given the system of the Jewish only roads, the rules for road and sidewalk use in Hebron, , the absence of political rights for the Palestinian population, in what way was he wrong? Who knows why he apologized --but if you see the recent movie Man From Plains, you see a portrait of a committed, fair minded, man, still active in his eighties.

Settlements do not contribute in any way to Israel's security and that freezing their construction, or even dismantling them, does not endanger Israel in any way. Thus, there is no reason not to do it other than the Greater Israel ideology and the desire of certain Israeli politicians to keep their homes there. This is the first time I have seen anyone write this anywhere.

"who are the parties that were willing to receive back the west bank?" (Abecassis) Poor tiny Israel, surrounded all over by intractable and murderous enemies, all alone in this cruel world of Jews-haters, with no real friend, forced to keep occupying, against its own will, the foreign and stateless population it has, unwittingly, taken control of, 42 years ago. Israeli decision-makers, my heart goes with you.

When I lived in Rhodesia, we all reassured each other that any criticism of Rhodesia was anti-white propaganda, and that white people all over the world should come to our defence. It was as ridiculous then as saying that criticism of Israel implies anti-semitism today.

Israel deserves criticism for settlement policies. However, those are not criminal acts, and are doubtable non legal. Israel's war against Hammas and Hizablah is moral and proportionate. Human Right organization are byassed and Carter contributed to that.

Carter's Son is running for political office with Jewish voters in it.

US Jews must reject this apology which is expedient and self-serving, and is there to promote his family connections. I cannot believe his deep and perverse prejudice has turned the corner. The damage done to Israel is immense and the effects of his perpetual raging against Israel have become entrenched. His so-called apology needs to be treated with the contempt it deserves. More evidence of change of heart is needed.

Carter Says Sorry to Jews, Apology Not Linked to Grandson's Political Ambitions: Atlanta attorney Jason Carter, 34, is debating whether to run for Georgia's state Senate from the district representing suburban DeKalb County, which has a significant Jewish population in the area around Emory University. Jason Carter, whose father is Jimmy Carter's eldest son, Jack, would aim to succeed David Adelman, President Obama's

Arafat expressed his gratitude by rebutting the Clinton peace plan. Are you complaining? Israeli Arab citizens have equal rights under the law,its not perfect,there is always room for improvement but where is it perfect? In Palestine where both parties murder and torture each other to the deafenning silence of people who claim as US taxpayers they should have a say? More US tax money goes to Arabs than Israel.Not a sound from the "concerned taxpayers" who post here. PS Unless you are posting under different names who is silencing you?You have written here frequently.

Durson never misses and opportunity to miss an opportunity. I think this article is brilliant. Being a staunch Israeli supporter I cannot deny Israel's short-sightedness or misuse of power. And this article recognizes that Israel is far from perfect. However, what it also points at, which Durson deliberately does not recognize, is that Israel is bullied as well and that needs as much recognition as the mistakes Israel makes. Israel and Israeli's are truly isolated more than anyone gives her/them credit for. There are no other Jewish nations that Israel can go to for support. And even in North America, there is significant stigma for waving an Israeli flag or openly supporting Israel. Constantly being berated at the U.N. for acts far far less disgusting than those performed by other middle eastern/eastern hemisphere countries creates a significant amount of psychological angst amongst Israelis. However, as history has repeatedly shown, no one/nation will ever let up on Jews.

It is very easy to claim that we 'hate' you, and that is the only possible explanation... it is easy when you need to defend yourself from your own wrongs visited upon other people. For most of us alive today, we did nothing to any Jews. We are hammered constantly about the past, and even made to feel guilty for something we had no part in, nor would we take part in. We have been instrumental in trying to make sure it DOES NOT happen again, to Jews or ANYONE ELSE for that matter. What we DO see today, is Israel, an alleged 'democracy', acting like some sort of tinpot dictatorship with heavy weapons, which it uses daily upon an unarmed people. We see the occupation, the collective punishment, the settlements, and the war crimes. And the dead children by the hundreds. So you keep telling yourself we just hate you because we just have hate you. That is YOUR mistake to make.

Good article but I differ that settlements are wrong policy. How does a country remain peaceful with its' neighbor if the neighbor will not permit its' residents to live within the neighbor's borders? In this case, permitting Jews to live amongst Palestinians in "Palestine". It's an old, often repeated fact: Israel permits Arabs to live within their country. Why cannot Jews live amongst Arabs?Your article glaringly omits both my question and its' answer. I look forward to reading a further article from you in the future that addresses my point.

Carter apologized because 1.) He is first and foremost a politician. 2.) His grandson will be trying to take the seat of a Congressman who is Jewish and going to work for the Obama administration. 3.) The district his grandson is running in has a very vocal and politically active Jewish community who are very angry with Carter. Many of whom were contributers or members of the Carter center who resigned when his Palestine book came out. 4.) In other words this was no act of contrition but political in nature. He will not sacrifice his grandsons political career for the sake of the Palestinians. What a guy!

why "leftists" hate Israel: 1. Nobody in the U.S. is forcing us to send tax dollars to China, Iran or Sudan. Our government gives you billions of OUR dollars against our will. We can't even get decent healthcare or an end to our pathetic series of wars. But our government keeps shovelling our money into you. Well, you and Goldman-Sachs, which we also hate. 2. We don't complain about proposed sanctions against China, Iran or Sudan. We welcome them. We welcome efforts to encourage reform in those countries. What we bitterly resent is that our government actually ENCOURAGES the Israeli government's abuses while criticizing Iran, Sudan and China. 3. Our government protects your lying about your nuclear program and shields you from criticism over it while threatening to go to war and wipe out an inestimable number of innocent Iranians because they want the right to the same level of self-defense that you have. That's evil. And that's just for starters.

If everyone was an Atheist, there might still be wars, but at least there wouldn't by any Religious Wars.

Since when does a country ever have to allow its declared FOES to work in ITS territory (as many "Palestinians" actually work for Israel moneys)? Apartheid was South Africa's system by which Dutch-descended (and some English-descended) Europeans stripped rights of NATIVE South Africans. The "Palestinians", on the other hand, are quite oft descended from Iraqi and Syrian migrants invited by Haj-amin Husseini--and are more akin to Biharis of Bangladesh (still foes of that nation, which they refused to recognise in 1972--and many still do--just as "Palestinians" refuse to even recognise Israel). Also, another fact that Carter never could nor did notice--many Muslim regimes enforce de-facto apartheid within their borders (Saudi treatment of its own Shi'as one example--and Pakistani treatment of Bengalis 1947-1971 being another as egregious)!

Taken in context, such a complaint is almost obscene.

Jimmy Carter has proven one thing -- that his book and other writing concerning Israel is total crap! How did he do this? First when challenged he offers no proof to back up his claims. Second, when afforded the opportunity to defend his views in a fair and open debate, he continuously says no. If there truly was anything to Carter's rantings, he would make an honest effort to defend himself. Instead he demands we take everything he says at face value. "Peace or Apartheid" has long been discredited. Still I will forgive Carter -- if he does tshuvah and renounces his lies.

Perhaps not,but Carter's popular account of the situation and the publicity around it helped spread knowledge of the situation among a largely indifferent American public, at a time when most American politicians constantly extol Israel and stifle any criticism of it, depite the clear U.S. strategic interest in a just settlement of the situation. Use of the term "apartheid" is not a cheap trick. South African apartheid happens to be the closest recent historical parallel to the marginalization of the native population of the West Bank and Gaza since 1967. (The next most recent would be the Jim Crow laws and practices in the American South prior to the enactment of the civil rights act.) The difference is that Israel seems bent on further institutionalizing the situation in the West Bank which would be the result if Israel insists on holding on to area "C" as a recent article in Haaretz stated was Netanyahu's intent. Carter shouldn't have muddied the waters by apologizing.

Perhaps not,but Carter's popular account of the situation and the publicity around it helped spread knowledge of the situation among a largely indifferent American public, at a time when most American politicians constantly extol Israel and stifle any criticism of it, depite the clear U.S. strategic interest in a just settlement of the situation. Use of the term "apartheid" is not a cheap trick. South African apartheid happens to be the closest recent historical parallel to the marginalization of the native population of the West Bank and Gaza since 1967. (The next most recent would be the Jim Crow laws and practices in the American South prior to the enactment of the civil rights act.) The difference is that Israel seems bent on further institutionalizing the situation in the West Bank which would be the result if Israel insists on holding on to area "C" as a recent article in Haaretz stated was Netanyahu's intent. Carter shouldn't have muddied the waters by apologizing.

Before I attack, just thought I'd duly note that Strenger is WAY more thoughtful and thought-provoking than the usual op-edders at Haaretz, and needless to say, in a completely diff. class than Hass-Marcus-Levy. Just the same, it's disappointing to see less depth when it comes to the settlements & occupation. Two key responses: 1. As the 2nd Lebanon War showed, missiles can't win wars w/o ground troops. Hence, security settlements contribute to preventing invasions; no one ever claimed they stop missiles. 2. The occupation could not have ended in '68 any more than today for the simple reason that the Arab leadership quickly learned that the occupation card is far more valuable than the increased military freedom afforded by not having Israeli troops in or laying siege to Arab-occupied areas. This is precisely why we got missiles from Gaza after Disengagement -- the Pals *want* the world to hate Israel as an Occupier, and they need to keep Israel "engaged" in Gaza.

When former president Carter was pubicly begging for the Nobel Peace Prize, word got back to him that his professed Christianity was standing in the way. He publicly renounced Christianity and was promptly awarded his Nobel Peace Price. Now every living Democrat except Bill Clinton has a Nobel Peace Prize, including Al Gore.

It's incomprehensible why Jimmy Carter never put his ideas about the Middle East into practice during his era. Instead he employed a twerp (Flasche) like Cyrus Vance as Secretary of State who was never able to accomplish anything.

too late! and I hope the Jewish vote and other decent voters dont elect his grandson. we dont need another JC!

What do you "zionists forever" types say to us: the millions of Americans who cared for Israel and its people during its struggles from 1948 until the occupations and illegal settlements; to the millions of Americans who saw their tax dollars go to aid Israel, without a whimper? Those of us who now criticize Israel and its policies do it, not from some "deep seated anti-semitism" where there is none, but do it in the hopes that you will change your attitude. For, if you continue your hubris in flaunting international laws, invoking god in your beliefs that you are "due" such and such lands, taking our money without so much as a nod, and endangering the US, then you will continue to foster anti-semitism where there has been none. And you doom the "zionist project."

Carter apologyzed for his long standing and repeated anti Jewish propaganda because he made himself into a pariah to most decent people. He simply is trying to improve his reputation. Since he also rebelled against G-d's bible, he should also publicly apologyse to Him as well.

Maybe the reason for Carter's apology has more to do with the complex politics that the state of Israel has created, than inaccuracy of the book's title. Contrary to Strenger's assertion in this article , western states are generally pro-Israel, but then find themselves so often compromised by the state of Israel's hypocrisy, chutzpah, double-standards, propaganda, war-crimes, and lies. Israel makes itself a very difficult friend to like, let alone be proud of - any other interpretation eg anti-semitism, is just an excuse on behalf of Israelis to turn a blind eye to their own behaviour.

You and Carter are an Israeli hatefest team. Maybe his age is bringing him back to reality...or is he having nightmares about the Iranian hostage crisis after all these years. Carter likes Obama's ways. I think it also has something to do with the fact that Obama put out his hand in friendship to the Islamic world and it ( his hand ) is still "out in the cold "

because civlized western countries NEVER occupy other nations land. Please. the difference between the savage brutality employed by british and french imperialists, and the jewish settlers (who do not have the direct support of the government), is that the latter are a people returning to the land of their ancestors. they may be wrong to, they may be wrong to forget the rights of the current occupants, but that is nothing like leaving your motherland to colonize other countries. so how is it that British and French critics dare open their mouths? How badly have their colonialist policies already fucked up the entire third world?

don which binding treaty made israels border on the 1949 armistice line ? why dont you buy howard greif,s 660 page book and get an education ?? its called "israels borders "!

Carter appears to have a pathological need to make himself the centre of attention. He does not want to retire quietly after the catastrophic failure of his one-term presidency. That explains why he chose such a sensationally slanderous title for his boring and factually inaccurate book. Probably that is also why he is now once again trying to grab the headlines with this dishonestly worded apology. Carter's sincerity can be measured by the fact that he apologised to American Jews for his efforts to slander the state of Israel! He is not sorry he did the crime, he is sorry he got caught.

The infamous claim in the Koran that Allah turned the Jews into apes and monkeys as punishment for not recognizing Mohammed as the true and final word on the nature of divinity was not learned from the West.

The Israel cabinet should announce that they no longer want to be considered a Western Syle democracy; they want to be considered a Middle Eastern democracy; which is what they are; and which makes sense since they are a Middle Eastern country confronting the problems of the Middle East. They should also say they want to be considered a Middle Eastern country at war with an foe who says they want peace but is really prepared to continue the struggle for many more generations. After they announce this I would expect most criticism to cease

truly fascinating revelations from your side. did it ever occur to you 'some people' (jewish by the way?) have an argument about this being inappropriate? if you just would take the time to read the article one more time. and I mean really read. like in 'maybe I am affected by this as well'. then you could possibly get to the fact that it is about a great man and his inner victory. all you say is self deception on the other hand. you are using a straw man fallacy. now that I say this, you will cry foul and feel proven right. it is all to obvious and to be honest neither effective nor interesting. 'Name one credible western critic of Israel whom you suspect to be an Antisemite and show some kind of evidence that at the very least hints to that effect.' maybe you didn't read the headline: 'Jimmy Carter, his apology and Western hatred of Israel' now what did Mr Carter apologize for again? glad I could point this out to you.

Do tell how I discriminate against Israel... I guess you just couldn't resist the title. Now on to your actual message. You counter my observation that Israel is regarded as a democracy and thus is held to a standard fitting such nations with some obscure experiment regarding how a dictatorship would handle terrorist attacks. Did you completely miss the point that the world expects Israel to act within international law or is your interpretation that the rest of the world thinks that it is OK for Israel to do anything as long as it is slightly better than what a country under a dictatorship would do in the same position?

well written, correct about the facts, I remember in 67 Ben Gurion asked to return the occupied land, he was called senile old man, by Dyan and he cronies. You are also correct about the left in America, with lots of self hated Jews who use Israel's wrong policies as an excuse for lining up with the traditional anti Semites.

Interested to see in the US papers today that Carter's grandson is running for public office and the suggestion is that his "apology" might be connected to that. I loved Abraham Foxman's comment that if Carter's love for his grandson brought about his epiphany then that's fine!

Right, Carlo, you agree the occupation should have ended 42 years ago. So what are you going to do about it? Europeans denounce the occupation loudly not because they're anti-semitic but because Israel claims to be a western democracy and it relies on support and trade from Europe. That's why we judge Israel more harshly than Iran or North Korea. Got it? If you want us to judge you on the same level as Iran and North Korea then you can do without our political support and preferential trade agreements. OK?

More precisely, math odds favor Jew-hatred, as Arabs are also Semitic. Think of how many multitudes of Christians and Muslims there are compared to Jews, and it takes no genius at all to see that math odds for worldwide Jew-hate remain astronomically huge. Carter may be simply and slowly awakening to the fact that he has been but another victim of such tremendous odds.

Before you shoot off at the mouth and begin showcasing your ignorance on a global platform, you might want to consider making arguments that contain at least a hint of coherence and intelligence above that of a six year-old. Comparing the actions of everyday individuals to those of a US president in terms of scale in accomplishment is nonsense. A US president is the most powerful man on earth and can choose to do great things on a massive scale if he chooses. Second, not all accomplishments made during a president's time in office are made by the president himself. 3rd, Jimmy Carter didn't accomplish that much, so I'm not sure where your messianic description of Carter is derived from. 4th, Carter did do something wrong and that why he's apologizing for it.

"The problem is the tone of the criticism." Sure. "...Jews, the perpetual victims..." Sure. "...the Western world has yet to come to terms with its refusal to do anything to stop the genocide." Oh yes, we have. "there is a big difference between being critical and even exasperated with Israel's inability to end an occupation that should have ended in 1968 ... and the self-righteous rage and hatred that many of Israel's Western critics express in their criticisms." Really? Like what? "I do think that anti-Semitism lurks behind the breast-beating self-righteousness of Israel's critics, primarily from the European and American Left." Actually it's called courage, and a conscience.

No doubt some Israel critics are truly racists who hate Jews or believe them in some way inferior. Many more of us are mislabeled anti-semitic because we believe that Jews are just as good and have the exact same rights, responsibilities and entitlements as every other race -- but are no better and have no more entitlements. This is not racism. We criticize Israel because it oppresses and humiliate millions of people, most of them innocent, every day. I've seen it. It is also stealing land that all the world but Israel knows it has no right to. These are just bases for criticism. We may be louder criticizing Israel than others because US policy has made Israel's misconduct possible with impunity. We have been made accomplices to Israel's crimes, so we have not only the right but the duty to focus on Israeli treatment of Pals. Neither I nor most US critics "hate" Israel. I hope it someday exists in peace within its internationally recognized (1967) borders.

like all ignorant leftists. Go learn some Islam, Carlo.

#15 is entirely correct and so was President Carter when he chose Apartheid in the title of his book. I recognize Apartheid when I see it and #15 has described a few of Israel's actions which make it an Apartheid state. Better that Israel changes its behaviour in the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank and its treatment of its Palestinian citizens rather that cry Anti-Semitism when someone points out the obvious.

I think Carter's apology was long overdue. I welcome it, but wait a little skeptically to see what pronouncements he makes in future.

wow u dont half spout a lot of rubbish....

The author claims that the American Left's "hatred" of Israel has its roots in guilt felt over the events of the holocaust. Huh? I don't feel the least bit guilty about the Holocaust, in fact my family gave up some fine young men in part to end the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the most tragic and brutal crime ever carried out by human beings... European human beings, not us Yankees. Furthermore, the criticism of Israel in the US mainstream is hardly full of "hatred", quite the contrary - its always preceded by a reiteration that "Israel is a close ally, the only democracy in the middle east, etc." Israel is fond of calling itself a democracy. Then, when it is held to the same standards as other civilized nations, it's apologists cry foul. "Hamas is worse, dont criticize us!" If Israel wishes to be a pariah state like Sudan, they would be held to a less lofty standard. As a member of the community of nations, Israel does not have the luxury of stooping to the level of her enemies.

Did you attend Jimmy's Sunday school class in October? Were you there when he expressed his feelings for Israel? Have you seen the movie "The kingdom of heaven"? The main line -- It is a kingdom of consciece or nothing at all? Jimmy has built stones and walls which will all fall to the ground, but he has also destroyed conciences of everyone that agrees with him. That which God holds dear, Jimmy has rejected and has taught others to reject. His only apology is that he hates. It is not an apology, but an admission. It is a start. Now he needs to find out how to love and teach others. Jimmy has the respect of some men. That is all. His tine is short.

The world is not made up of all nations haing an equal footing. There are good guys and bad guys and a lot of shades in between. We expect the bad guys to abuse human rights. We still chastise them when they do this, but nobody is surprised. Israel has historically been considered a good guy. They have masqueraded as a western style democracy and have taken much aid and support from other western style democracies. As such, we should be surprised when Israel commits human rights violations on a scale to surpass most of the bad guys. We should be surprised that Israel never takes responsibility for their abuses and we should surprised that they are rarely criticized or held accountable by their allies. Jimmy Carter was one of the few trying to hold Israel accountable. Israel hates and rejects all criticism, deserved or not. Thus, most Israelis hated Carter. Most Israelis hate anyone that criticizes them. Hate begats hate, and there you are. Israel provokes hatred.

sam! there are many idiots in the world that would do certain actions from a pure herd instinct. if peanut jimbo would put his name (and by inference the title of the president of the us) on a brand of underwear (i am surprised he does not, now that i think of it), yes there would be people that would buy that. by the same token, putting on a hard hat and knocking a few nails for the camera with a stupid toothy grin, does NOT equate with all the flowery accolades you have so lovingly placed upon your ex-president

telling the truth. Peace or apartheid are the options Israel is facing because of its occupation of the West Bank and the expansion of settlements. The third option is to incorporate the entire West Bank into Israel and grant Palestinians full citizen rights. This, given the demographic realities, would the beginning of the end of the Jewish state. the title of Carter's book is very appropriate. Truth hurts and he apologized for the hurt. But it does not make his statements and observations less truthfull.

They are Israeli territories, and the residents are not citizens. This is no different than territories of other countries, like Puerto Rico, or Carribean islands. The rules are different, but they arent citizens. Second. It is the Arabs who determine how much their kids eat, not Israel. How do you get that??? The Gazas destroyed $20 million worth of hot houses given to them by Jews. They did it, not Israel. Blame the Arab leadership, not Israel. If the Arabs had been more concerned with education and commerce rather than incitement and war, things would be different. Blame the Arab leadership. They are the cause of the woes in the Arab world, not Israel. Israel settled for less than 20% of the land and have a vibrant Arab Minority. Jordan Palestine has 0% Jews and a racist law banning Jewish land ownership and citizenship. PLease direct your anger at the right direction, not the wrong one. Appeasing doesnt lead to peace, but to more suffering.

look buster, you are not too far from the pearl river. it now has a thin ice crust. go take a long walk on it - it will cool you off!

It all started in the desert. Moshe said it in advance. The curses and the blessings. Now all Israel has to do is do what is right which Moses commanded in the eyes of God. Accept the fact that G-d hates idolatry and unkindness to ones neighbor. He wants Israel to be just and merciful as he is. Then the curses which were put on Israel will be turnedto blessings and those that hate Israel will be cursed. Nothing else will work. Not knowledge, no deals, no schemes.

The reason for the attention given Israels crimes compared to for example Sudan or China, is the cultural closeness we as europeans share with Israel. Israel is seen as a democracy, it plays in the Eurocup, it participates in the eurovision song contest. For all intents and purposes, Israel is very much a part of the European cultural sphere. None of this applies to Sudan. As such, Israel is held to the same standard as a western democracy, and can expect the same kind of outcry as if France or the Netherlands had perpetuated a brutal occupation for 40 years, continuously disenfranchising the population.

Gee, thanks Strenger for Uncle Tom view rejecting residents in outlaying areas of Israel. You and Carter make a good team. As for the rejection of land necessity in view of technical war- if that is the case why is US doing so badly in iraq and afghanistan Why even invade those lands then ?? US military experts still say that holding land is required as air war alone does not win a war.

Let your mouth says what your soul is saying without repression:jesus is the only true jewish mashiaj.

To all those who continue to condemn President Carter, even in the midst of a genuine gesture, I have a simple request. Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself this question: Have I, in the course of my life, literally saved/improved the lives of hundreds of thousands across the globe through my health and peace initiatives, built homes for the neglected poor, freed political prisoners, mediated countless conflicts, and monitored democratic elections? If the answer is no, another simple request. Shut the hell up and get to work.

I am to be labeled an anti-semite because I insist that democracy means that all who live in a country and are subject to its laws must have the right to equal participation in the fashioning of those laws? Can there be any doubt that Israel controls the lives of the Palestinins of the West Bank and Gaza,down to deciding how many grams of protien Gazan children may receive each day, and if and when an Arab in Ramallah may visit his cousin in Hebron? When you deny people in your country basic democratic rights becuase of their religion or ethnicity, that is APARTHEID. And stop the twaddle about not criticizing China and Sudan. I do not pay to supply the Janjaweed or the Chinese regime with weapons, and my government does not give them moral sanction to kill on basis of religion.

This was well said. I do believe there is anti-Semetism lurking in anti-Israel sentiment. Many people change out the word "Jew" for "Zionist", and when you do that it's deemed acceptable. I'm glad President Carter apologized, but I fear that many neo-nazis and racists are going to say that he was blackmailed or forced to say it by some "Jewish conspiracy" Am Yisrael Chai

Let's see if there is the same hollow silence that characterizes the glorious forces of the 'Left" with respect to the most noxious human rights abusing regimes on the planet. This guy has nailed it.

no one who did not live in europe prior to ww2 knows anything about anti semitism ! the worlds preoccupation with israel is pure and simple ant semitism wrapped up in " some of my best friends are jews" jimmy carter is abought anti semite !!

" Israel is the only democracy in that group. The democratic Israel is held to a higher standard than various dictatorships (which I realise some people find inappropriate)." You want to hold Israel to a higher standard? Fine. Take any one of those dictatorships, subject it to 7 years of rocket attacks, and how do you think the region from which those attacks were launched would fare? You're talking out of your south side.

Israel DID offer the land back 3 times back in 68-69. It was the Arabs who answered with famous 3 nos "no peace, no israel, no negotiation." Only then did Israel start settlements as self protection before rockets were the rule. Now they exist & must be dealt with as part of the peace making. Stop calling Israel wrong for what made perfect sense... or for Arab refusal of anything peaceful. #1 Joralfar From Benjamin Disraeli, former prime minister of Great Britain "The Jews are a nervous people. 1900 years of Christian love have taken their toll." If this is love, please, look again. Slander, hate, false accusations & most importantly double standards, are not brotherly love.

Strenger leaves out critical info. The land just won from an occuping Jordan that had just attacked Israel - was indeed benefitted in security by settlements. Further it helped pressure Jordan & others towards considering peace. Now the settlements exist. So they have a right to stay. Not grow beyond natural growth, but stay. Some are ancient Jewish communities that existed long before Mohammed was a twinkle in his mom's eye. Settlements aside - taking this apology from Carter as opportunity to bash Israel IS a problem. There is such Jewish guilt for existing absorbed from years of antiJewishism... that even when right or breathing a little better.... some of us can't wait to beat ourselves up. Carter's book wasn't a moderately okay opinion--- it was slander through & through. It IS MOST DEFINITELY okay to use that apology to reduce the slander's influence & get back to real conversations. Doing so is NOT losing site of values.

Talk about a nation and its defenders exemplifying compassion and forgiveness! Why is Israel's finger always, always, pointed at everyone else in the world and never themselves. Israel wants the rest of the world to always judge it in the best possible light while demanding the right to judge others in the worst possible light.

I agree with much of what he says. However, it's what he doesn't say that remains troubling; namely, arab rejectionism of the state called israel and as a jewish homeland at that. The PLO(palestine LIBERATION organization) was formed in 1964, as carlo and everyone else know, and so the question remains, what were they trying to liberate PRIOR to 1967? Carlo has his finger squarely on the issue of guilt,anti semitism and the post WWII transfer of this guilt onto a now powerful israel. To be sure, the settlements were/are a mistake, but, reality is such that in any peace deal today, some land swaps have already philosophically been agreed to.. having said that,arab rejection of the state of israel remains the big elephant in the room. question: if a "PEACE" deal were signed tomorrow, would all of the arabs finally stop trying for all of israel, not just WB and GAZA? people like durson, lincoln, cummings, dutch, have they EVER protested china? saudi? iran? sudan? russia? I think not...

The suggestion that arab anti semitism started in the 19th cnetury is laughable. Try reading about the dhimmis laws under the ottoman empire 1100 years ago. As for European anti smeitism, maybe the term was coined in 1873 but the practice dates back to ancient times. After Jesus was crucified, Paul hits the road to find converts for the new church. And what was his message, renounce the false religons of judism and pagaism and sign up with christainity the ture relgion of G-d. That philosophy dominated christain thinking for 2000 years until in the 1960s the Popes started to deal with institutionalized anti semitism that resulted in the papal proclimation that Jews did not kill Jesus and even today, the Christain Jewish relationship is straiend by the under current that the church really doesn't believe that although they say it. Just like Jimmy Carter's apology. he says it but who believes it. He encouraged global anti semitism and no apology will redeem that.

We have to be very careful about who we label as Anti-Semites. Some caller on a cable news talk show caught him off guard and was able to provoke him in a very predictable manner. It's easy to provoke anybody because people are only human and not saints or Godlike really! Now some will say I'm a self hater if I mention our "power and influence" but in certain cases where one is only paying attention to certain aspects in order to constructively focus things in a positive manner and with the intentions of protecting Israel and/or the Jewish People, it is not Anti-Semitic to do so. If you're conditioned to knee jerk every time you hear or read certain words, that is a form of human weakness. Ofcourse we have some limited "power and influence!" We need that! But we need to worry about Real Enemies with Real Evil intentions towards Israel and the Jews because just as we may be conditioned to react, the archetypes that shape the way others view us are manipulated by the Real Hitlers.

First, it is not true that harsh critics of Israel do not criticise other violators of human rights. But other violators,unlike Israel, do not claim to be free and open secular democracies. There is less hypocracy with these despotic regimes and no one expects anything different because they do not hold themselves up as morally righteous. Israel as the home of the Jews was meant to vitalise Judaism and that has not happened. One does not look to Israel to seek guidance in the laws of just warfare, for example. It looks to Israel as a provider of arms. Israel's hypocracy is glaring and their defense of occupation and land theft little moree than pure propaganda. Further, the amount of money given to Israel to support their occupation is another reason for the rage that many feel toward Israel. This has nothing to do with thological history or the role of anti-semitism inhistory. It has to do with hypocracy, deception and arrogance and trying to make everyone think that they are so right

This Carlo Strenger is so wrong. He states " There is absolutely no justification for the settlements in terms of security. The battlefield of the present, and even more of the future, is defined by rocket technologies". Without settlements, the Arabs could start running and keep running until they were in Jerusalem and we would not know it until they were knocking at our doors. Without settlements, the rockets that are now coming from Gaza would be coming from the house next door. He is stating his opinions as facts and cannot see what is really happening on the ground. Another liberal from the liberal Haaretz news not caring how many people he puts in danger by his words.

cj says that aloss of 90% is land loving ! he needs a course in arithmetic !

Please tell Jim the following: First and foremost to kiss my you know what. Second that I haven't voted with his party since he was president after having done so always. Third that his apology is a LOT too late. Jim has caused serious damage to Israel and all Jews. Fouth: to stay in his farm and to shut up for once!

You bet they can! Look at what happened when Israel withdrew from Gaza and gave up its presence on the ground--eight years of rockets. The same will happen if Israel leaves the West Bank, only this time the rockets will be landing in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. How's that for security grounds?

"Many in the West used a ubiquitous defense mechanism: humans tend to hate those who induce guilt in them - and finally guilt against Jews could be transformed into hatred against Israel" "Yes; I do think that anti-Semitism lurks behind the breast-beating self-righteousness of Israel's critics, primarily from the European and American Left." These are silly and unfounded allegations. Name one credible western critic of Israel whom you suspect to be an Antisemite and show some kind of evidence that at the very least hints to that effect. The author wishes to know why western people have been more inclined to attempt to boycot Israel than Sudan/China/Iran for their human rights abuses. The answer is very simple. Israel is the only democracy in that group. The democratic Israel is held to a higher standard than various dictatorships (which I realise some people find inappropriate). It is also percieved as being easier to influence through symbolic actions (being a democracy).

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/12/22/1009863/

I see more of cinicysm in the self-culpibilitation of Strenger himself, Still, trying to reflect his own biases in this rather poor opportunity (as I say: who cares of what an elderly, loser has to say about a very successful Nation?!) on a loose cannon, permeate all the Article. The poor Article does not explain any reason why the Arabs refused since 1968 in recognising the existence ofthe Jewish State of Israel for the return of the lands, forced upon Israel to occupy, towards a Peace deal?! Strenger repeats, by way of explaining Carter's (how could anyone do that?) the AL KHET, the same missrepresention of the expansion and rehabilitation of the West Bank Israel settlements. Explain please: who are the parties that were willing to receive back the west bank (Egypt refused, King Hussein was uncomprehensive oon the subject)and other lands after the June 6th1967 war to sit down and make peace. No, Strenger is rather more obscure, now that he thinks he might have enlightend us of th

Why did Carter choose a title like that for his book? Because he wants to stay in the limelight - any book with a title like that will sell well. He's a has-been, rather a failure as President, but he wants to be in the news.

Could it be that some of us Europeans feel a need to criticize Israeli realities, not out of hate for Jews but out of love, out of kinship? Just as I would feel free, and obliged, to reproach a brother - but not someone totally unrelated.