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Last update - 06:19 16/04/2008
Carter meets Hamas official, calls for group to be included in peace talks
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, U.S., Jimmy Carter 

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter met an ex-minister in Hamas' government on Tuesday, defying Israeli leaders who shunned the Nobel Peace Prize laureate over his contacts with the Islamist group.

Following the meeting in Ramallah, Carter called for Syria and Hamas to be included in negotiations for a final peace agreement, saying: "Since Syria and Hamas will have to be involved in the final peace agreement, they ought to be involved in the discussions leading up to ... peace."


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aser Shaer, who served as deputy prime minister in the Hamas-led government that the United States and other Western powers boycotted, was greeted by Carter with a hug and kisses to both cheeks, a member of Carter's delegation said.

"Mr. Carter wanted to listen to the positions of different Palestinian figures. The meeting was very good and he promised to continue such meetings," said Shaer, who was among several Palestinian political figures to meet with the former president.

Carter has angered the Israeli government over plans to meet Hamas' top leader, Khaled Meshal, in Syria, and for describing Israeli policy in the occupied Palestinian territories as "a system of apartheid" in a 2006 book.

Carter, who brokered Israel's first peace treaty with an Arab neighbour, Egypt, signed in 1979, met Israel's ceremonial president Shimon Peres on Sunday but was shunned by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other policymakers.

Shaer told Reuters he met one-on-one with Carter and they discussed efforts to broker an unofficial truce between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas seized the coastal territory by force in June after routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' more secular Fatah faction. Abbas then sacked a Hamas-led unity government and appointed a Western-backed administration in the West Bank. Abbas's authority has been limited to the occupied West Bank.

Shaer said Carter told him he wanted to play a role in trying to end the enmity between Hamas and Fatah.

Carter told reporters earlier he had wanted to visit Gaza, but his request was rejected. Carter did not say who turned down his request, but a member of his delegation said it was Israel.

"I haven't been able to get permission to go into Gaza. I would like to. I asked for permission. But I was turned down. But maybe we can find a way to circumvent that," Carter said.

All of the border crossings between Israel and Gaza are controlled by Israel. Egyptian forces are stationed at Gaza's southern border, which is largely closed.

Carter said he would use his meeting with Meshal to "get him to agree to a peaceful resolution of differences, both with the Israelis ... and also with Fatah".

Carter, who stressed he was not acting as a negotiator or a mediator, said he hoped "just as a communicator" to relay to "leaders of the United States" what Hamas and Syria have to say.

Israel and Washington have sought to isolate Hamas and bolster Abbas, who launched U.S.-backed peace talks with Olmert.

Like Israel, the Bush administration opposes Carter's meeting with Meshal, whose Islamist group won Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 but was boycotted by the West for refusing to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

During his visit to Ramallah, Carter placed a wreath at the mausoleum of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

U.S. President George W. Bush pointedly chose not to do so during his recent visit. The Bush administration shunned Arafat, who died in 2004, accusing him of fomenting violence.

During his visit to Israel earlier in the week, Carter has said isolating Hamas is counterproductive and volunteered to serve as a conduit between the group and the U.S. and Israeli governments.

"I'm not a negotiator. I'm someone who might provide some communication. I'm going to try to make [Meshal] agree to a peaceful resolution, both with Israel and with Hamas's Palestinian rivals," Carter said Thursday.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey told reporters Monday that the U.S. has made clear our views that we did not think now is the moment for him [Carter] or anyone to be talking with Hamas.

The U.S. would be happy to hear Carter's reflections on his visit with Hamas, but it would not likely change the administration's views on the militant group, Casey said.


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      1.   What do America and Israel gain by avoiding peace? 12:28  |  Natallie Durson 15/04/08
      2.   Completely Over the Red Line Now 12:39  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 15/04/08
      3.   #1 Nazillie Dur d`oreille still believes Hamas wants peace with I 12:56  |  Hastaroth 15/04/08
      4.   I pray that they kidnap him like the jihadis did in Iran 13:15  |  JD 15/04/08
      5.   trade carter for gilad shalit 13:49  |  Igor D. 15/04/08
      6.   carter 13:56  |  eva 15/04/08
      7.   Sure America talk to Ben Laden? Carter`s idea is equally stupid 13:57  |  David 15/04/08
      8.   Carter npt cpwed by zionist bullying! 14:02  |  lakshmi 15/04/08
      9.   Israel avoids disaster 14:03  |  Clickfool 15/04/08
      10.   Carter: Best US president and statesman 14:04  |  Chanalau, Tova 15/04/08
      11.   #7 FYI: USA was not occuping any lands from Bin Laden 14:19  |  Tupac 15/04/08
      12.   Carter...Man of Peace 14:25  |  Ray 15/04/08
      13.   chanalau, tova 14:36  |  jeff 15/04/08
      14.   AMERICA IS APPAULED BY CARTER`S ACTIONS 14:36  |  david 15/04/08
      15.   Carter is you best chance izzy 14:42  |  not chosen 15/04/08
      16.   To #10...Carter...best...what? 14:48  |  spade 15/04/08
      17.   T0 #8...We have just dispatched agents to bully Carter 14:50  |  Zionist Overlords 15/04/08
      18.   As a one-time U.S.President Carter has shown 14:55  |  Dagma 15/04/08
      19.   # 5 Igor D. 14:56  |  Palestine=Tibet 15/04/08
      20.   # 7 David 14:59  |  Palestine=Tibet 15/04/08
      21.   Carter - how does if feel to grovel on your stomach? 15:08  |  redmike 15/04/08
      22.   # 14 David 15:11  |  Palestine 15/04/08
      23.   Hastaroth speak rationally 15:11  |  Truth 15/04/08
      24.   # 14 David 15:13  |  Palestine=Tibet 15/04/08
      25.   Carter`s Wreath for Terrorist behind many MURDERS of Americans! 15:13  |  david 15/04/08
      26.   # 14 David (ctd) 15:14  |  Palestine=Tibet 15/04/08
      27.   Carter:"I Represent No One--Just My Carter Center, And My Family" 15:20  |  Alex 15/04/08
      28.   To #1, Natalie Boo-hoo - Get real woman!!! 15:29  |  Yossi 15/04/08
      29.   Why all the anger and backlash over my postings? 15:34  |  Natallie Durson 15/04/08
      30.   # 19 Palestine - "Arafat was a freedom fighter when he died." 15:51  |  17 15/04/08
      31.   Shame 15:52  |  MIKE 15/04/08
      32.   Clickfool #9. 15:53  |  David Nigel Braham 15/04/08
      33.   Carter doesn`t give a tuppenny toss what Zionists think 16:02  |  Clickfool 15/04/08
      34.   Carter the trouble maker 16:02  |  Brod 15/04/08
      35.   TO DAVID NO #21 16:04  |  JM 15/04/08
      36.   The Durson Person 16:08  |  Alex 15/04/08
      37.   Posters are wrong, Israel loves Carter 16:09  |  utagawa 15/04/08
      38.   #2 Ovadiah ben Avraham 16:21  |  Boycott 15/04/08
      39.   Peace Scares Israeli`s Leaders 16:32  |  DoubleClick 15/04/08
      40.   # 20 Palestine = Porto-Novo 16:39  |  17 15/04/08
      41.   A LITTLE MAN JIMMY, A BIG HEART CARTER 16:42  |  indrajaya 15/04/08
      42.   29 16:43  |  jeff 15/04/08
      43.   Avoiding a cease-fire and dialogue at all costs 16:43  |  Ben Alofs 15/04/08
      44.   The Question - Is Jimmy Carter a Responsible Person 17:00  |  The Threadmill 15/04/08
      45.   One old rogue pays respect to another old rogue 17:01  |  x-ray 15/04/08
      46.   #39, double click...nice try! 17:06  |  DR 15/04/08
      47.   "Arafat was a freedom fighter"? NAH he was a thief 17:07  |  x-ray 15/04/08
      48.   #24, what is palestine??? 17:09  |  DR 15/04/08
      49.   JM, TIBET-PAL., revise your History elsewhere 17:12  |  david 15/04/08
      50.   Go jimmy go! Goodluck&Goddess speed! 17:19  |  lakshmi 15/04/08
      51.   #38: He Could Enter Gaza from Egypt if He Wanted 17:23  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 15/04/08
      52.   Where is the wreath on the grave of Menachem Begin z"l? 17:29  |  Johnny Weintraub 15/04/08
      53.   Maybe Jimmy Loves Israel!!! 17:30  |  Denton 15/04/08
      54.   #33 prickFOOL noone gives a toss what you think either 17:38  |  Ari ben Yisrael 15/04/08
      55.   To #29 - Natallie Durson 17:39  |  Yanosh 15/04/08
      56.   the FOOL from sussex 17:42  |  Joe Moer 15/04/08
      57.   This is the future of US/Arab relations 17:45  |  Oil Hungry 15/04/08
      58.   Like our God Christ Carter is a Prince of Peace 18:06  |  Yaakov Sullivan 15/04/08
      59.   Carter is aq Chrisl like figure. I worship Him and pray for Him 18:12  |  Yaakov Sullivan 15/04/08
      60.   Most fools keep quiet so you don`t know how foolish they are 18:23  |  x-ray 15/04/08
      61.   The Way I See It. 18:30  |  Cool B 15/04/08
      62.   The more they hate america, the more they love Carter (and Obama) 18:33  |  Voice of Reason 15/04/08
      63.   Carter needs material for his new book 18:40  |  Nora 15/04/08
      64.   # 30 "17".....and the worst leader the PLO ever had 18:44  |  Lynn 15/04/08
      65.   Carter is a disgrace to America. (and a fool to the world) 18:46  |  David P. 15/04/08
      66.   # 62 Voice of Reason....being a Democrat 18:49  |  Lynn 15/04/08
      67.   Re #11, Tupac, you haven`t listened to Bin Laden 18:49  |  Michael 15/04/08
      68.   Carter & peanut allergies 19:16  |  GABE1 15/04/08
      69.   Just another disgraceful showing by the former President Carter 19:16  |  Evan Gildenblatt 15/04/08