Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., May 26, 2008 Iyyar 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 13:32 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

U.S. President Jimmy Carter viewing the remains of a Qassam rocket while visiting Sderot on Monday. (Reuters) Last update - 23:21 14/04/2008 Carter offers to act as 'communicator' between Hamas, U.S., Israel By Fadi Eyadat, Haaretz Correspondent Reuters Tags: Israel, Jimmy Carter  Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, defending a contentious plan to meet the leader of Hamas, said Monday he hoped to become a conduit between the militant group and Washington and even Israel. "Isolating Hamas is counterproductive," Carter said. Hamas rules Gaza but is ostracized by Israel, the U.S. and Europe as a terror group. Advertisement "I think it is absolutely crucial that in the final and dreamed-about and prayed-for peace agreement for this region that Hamas be involved and Syria will be involved," Carter told a business conference outside Tel Aviv. "I can't say that they will be amenable to any suggestions, but at least after I meet with them I can go back and relay what they say, as just a communicator, to the leaders of the United States," he said. Earlier on Monday, Carter visited the southern town of Sderot, a frequent target of Qassam rocket fire from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, and met the city's mayor, Eli Moyal, and other municipal officials. "I think it's a despicable crime for any deliberate effort to be made to kill innocent civilians, and my hope is there will be a cease-fire soon," Carter said during his visit. Following the visit, Moyal said: "I don't believe that Carter can bring calm and peace and I think his meeting with Meshal is arbitrary and will do nothing to advance Israel's interests," Moyal said, referring to Carter's plans to meet with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal in Damascus this week. Olmert's office had no immediate comment. Carter said Monday that a deal for the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit would top the agenda of his discussions with Meshal. The Bush administration and close U.S. ally Israel oppose Carter's planned meeting with Meshal, whose Islamist group won Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 but was boycotted by the West for refusing to renounce violence and recognize Israel. Israel and the United States have sought to isolate Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June from more secular Fatah forces loyal to Abbas. Abbas holds sway in the West Bank and has launched U.S.-backed peace talks with Olmert. Hamas leaders have offered a long-term truce with Israel in return for a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but the group's 1988 founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who brokered Israel's first peace treaty with an Arab neighbor, Egypt, signed in 1979, met President Shimon Peres on Sunday but was shunned by most of the political leadership, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. In talks with MK Yossi Beilin in Jerusalem on Monday, Carter said he believed a release deal was possible and intended to make it a central aspect of his discussions with the Islamist leader. Carter also said he would raise the importance of a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and a halt to rocket fire on southern Israel during the meeting. The former U.S. leader told Beilin that in his efforts to solve international conflicts, he worked on a principle of talking with all possible sources. Carter told Haaretz Sunday in an exclusive interview that he intends to check Meshal's willingness to accept the Arab League peace initiative. Carter says that acceptance of this plan by Hamas would be a very positive step. Shin Bet security service declines request to assist in Carter security detail Shin Bet security service has declined to assist Carter during his visit, U.S. sources close to the matter said on Monday. An American source described the snub as an "unprecedented" breach between the Shin Bet and the U.S. Secret Service, which protects all current and former U.S. presidents, as well as Israeli leaders when they visit the United States. Government sources on Monday described the lack of Shin Bet during Carter's visit to Sderot, an area often hit by rockets from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, as particularly "problematic". Carter angered the Israeli government with plans to meet with Hamas leaders and for describing Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories as "a system of apartheid" in a 2006 book. Israel has also rejected Carter's request to meet jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, who is seen as a possible successor to President Mahmoud Abbas, a spokesman for Carter said. Barghouthi was convicted in 2004 of murder by an Israeli court over the killing of four Israelis and a Greek Orthodox monk in attacks by Palestinian militants. He is serving five life sentences. American sources close to the matter said the Shin Bet, which helps protect visiting dignitaries and is overseen by Olmert's office, declined to meet the head of Carter's Secret Service security detail or provide his team with assistance as is customary during such visits. "They're not getting support from local security," an American source said Bookmark to del.icio.us   'Shampoo' meets 'Munich' New Adam Sandler film stars Mossad hit man turned hairdresser. Rehab (live) Report: Singer Amy Winehouse is to undergo drug rehab in Israel.   1.   Peanuts in Sederot 14:03  |  Jimmy 14/04/08   2.   Carter the fool 14:17  |  Yariv 14/04/08   3.   protection 14:23  |  rico 14/04/08   4.   Shin Bet too busy abducting Grandma 14:25  |  Aphemia 14/04/08   5.   Jimmy Carter is not only a man of peace,but he is doing the 14:32  |  lakshmi 14/04/08   6.   Don,t meet him 14:36  |  Wafaa` 14/04/08   7.   Carter in Israel 14:40  |  Daniel 14/04/08   8.   Carter is not to be trusted. 14:40  |  dav zee 14/04/08   9.   Embarrassing 14:43  |  NP 14/04/08   10.   Israel proves itself to be an Apartheid State 14:50  |  *BEN JABO 14/04/08   11.   #1 Jimmy; Carter could also be harmed by a Zealot Israeli... 15:04  |  JustMe 14/04/08   12.   Better Friend than Bush 15:19  |  Ben 14/04/08   13.   to wafa # NO 6 15:22  |  JM 14/04/08   14.   My advice to Carter 15:32  |  Sam 14/04/08   15.   Carters Visit. 15:51  |  David Nigel Braham 14/04/08   16.   Shin Bet Needs To Coordinate Security For Carter 16:11  |  Yosemite 14/04/08   17.   No Qassam rockets in Sderot during Carter`s visit 16:15  |  Johnny Weintraub 14/04/08   18.   He wants to advance US instersts NOT Israels 16:49  |  American 14/04/08   19.   DAvid Nigel- Why should he? 16:50  |  MEN 14/04/08   20.   Jimmy Carter is a better friend to Israel..... 16:57  |  Deborah 14/04/08   21.   Yosemite (16) is right 17:00  |  Rory 14/04/08   22.   you mean those little things ? 17:17  |  alan 14/04/08   23.   Send Carter Home 17:24  |  Chaim Gorenstein 14/04/08   24.   Carter is a better friend to Israel........... 17:27  |  Deborah 14/04/08   25.   A Bigoted Hypocrte. Will he meet Ben Laden too? 17:32  |  Elly 14/04/08   26.   Carter is a Good Friend 17:33  |  Moshe 14/04/08   27.   Next time don`t let him into Israel like Bishop Tutu 17:37  |  Albert 14/04/08   28.   It`s also "despicable" when Hamas oppresses women 17:51  |  Usonian 14/04/08   29.   I`m ashamed and embarrassed 17:57  |  Big Sooz 14/04/08   30.   Let`s use the Words "Dispicable" & "Jimmy Carter" in sentence 18:09  |  david 14/04/08   31.   Wafaa and jm 18:16  |  alan 14/04/08   32.   What Jimmy Carter said in Sderot is,dishonest misinformation 18:30  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 14/04/08   33.   Shin Bet Childishness & Irresponsibility 18:33  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/04/08   34.   Western politicians don`t understand the intentions of Hamas 18:35  |  Turkish Jew 14/04/08   35.   Shin Beth 18:48  |  MR 14/04/08   36.   #11 Justme 18:53  |  MR 14/04/08   37.   Carter is right about the despicable crime, but I have little 19:05  |  Yoram 14/04/08   38.   Lack of courtesy.. a disgrace, Olmert.! 19:06  |  Stephen. 14/04/08   39.   Carter commingles with active terrorists 19:14  |  Actually 14/04/08   40.   It will be great if Carter secures the release of Shalit 19:25  |  Tarik 14/04/08   41.   THANKYOU SHIN BET 19:53  |  ROBOCOP 14/04/08   42.   Max Zinger, your analysis of Carter`s careful wording is accurate 20:04  |  John 14/04/08   43.   Carter`s Saudi cashflow can afford to pay for his own bodyguards 20:09  |  14/04/08   44.   Condemming attack on Sderot 20:15  |  Donald 14/04/08   45.   Off His Rocker 20:37  |  Juniper 14/04/08   46.   We dont want him back either. 20:39  |  Avram 14/04/08   47.   God forbid there is a cease fire 20:47  |  David K 14/04/08   48.   Just Like Iran 21:12  |  Steve 14/04/08   49.   Spite is the real power behind 90% of Israels actions 21:22  |  Natallie Durson 14/04/08   50.   Despicable? 21:30  |  Rav Harley 14/04/08   51.   Carter has it in reverse.... 21:58  |  Webster 14/04/08   52.   American # 18 22:18  |  Philippe 14/04/08   53.   Carter the TOOL 22:22  |  GZLives 14/04/08   54.   Communicating with Hamas 22:38  |  MichaelF 14/04/08   55.   Who will act as `communicator` between Carter and Israel? 22:46  |  Morris Valentine 14/04/08   56.   Jimmy Carter 22:56  |  Fredy Ross 14/04/08   57.   Mr J.CARTER, should be respected for the Good he did for Israel. 23:37  |  Avi Be. 14/04/08   58.   Jimmy offers himself!? 23:42  |  Akiva P. 14/04/08   59.   Assad ain`t Nasser & Syria not Egypt, Hamas craves Martyrdom 23:47  |  America`s Idol 14/04/08   60.   Wafaa`@#6 23:48  |  Akiva P. 14/04/08   61.   # 51 one good insult deserves another 00:00  |  Jenna 15/04/08   62.   1,977 Years Later 00:18  |  Knott Bushman 15/04/08   63.   Join Hamas if you want to but just stay away from the rest of us 00:19  |  zionist forever 15/04/08   64.   Bush wants World War 3, Carter wants peace 00:34  |  Mark 15/04/08   65.   Fire Condi Rice,Hire Jimmy Carter 00:40  |  Mark 15/04/08   66.   Carter as mediator? 01:16  |  Barney Panofsky 15/04/08   67.   Carter as "communicator" Better K. Abdullah 01:22  |  George B. Driesen 15/04/08   68.   Despicable is ShinBet Refusing to Help 01:36  |  Lee Kaplan 15/04/08   69.   I wonder who the real fools and hypocrites are now? 02:11  |  GZLives 15/04/08   70.