Jimmy Carter rebuffed by Zonist Lobby American Jewish leaders

In a move worthy of a mention in Walt & Mearsheimer’s next book, nearly all of the major American Jewish leadership told Jimmy Carter to take a hike when he asked to discuss Israel with them.

Jimmy Carter’s newest efforts to repair relations with the Jewish community were rebuffed not once but twice last week — and at the very highest levels.

Carter’s first outreach effort came in an invitation to Jewish groups to discuss ways that the former president could help make the upcoming Middle East peace conference a success. While Carter invited most of the major Jewish organizations, the event was only attended by representatives of the Reform movement and by several smaller dovish Jewish groups.

“I didn’t want to be used,” said the Anti-Defamation League’s national director, Abraham Foxman, one of the leaders who turned down Carter’s invitation. “I didn’t think anything constructive could come out of the meeting, except for him being able to say he met with Jewish leaders.”

Carter has encountered similar difficulties in reaching out to Jewish lawmakers on Capitol Hill. A closed-door meeting he held with Jewish members of Congress turned into a passionate rebuke of the former president’s views on Israel and the Middle East.

“He left the room less happy than Lincoln was when he left the Ford Theatre,” said Rep. Gary Ackerman, a New York Democrat who attended the meeting.

Loving that quote.

Carter has had strained relations with much of the organized Jewish community since the publication of his book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” and his ensuing remarks regarding the Jewish lobby’s influence on American foreign policy. The reception he received last week suggests that the resentment is still strong and that it may pose an obstacle for him as he attempts to offer his help in brokering peace in the Middle East.

Gee, ya think?

But it’s okay. He got some Jewish leaders to show up. Okay, mostly the lesser-known leadership, and the smaller organizations and maybe some that we’ve, uh, never heard of, but hey—they talked to him. Which was more than Abe Foxman did.

The invitation was not totally unrewarded. The Wednesday lunchtime meeting was attended by five Jewish members, including the Reform movement’s Religious Action Center, which was represented by Rabbi David Saperstein. Other groups that sent representatives were Israel Policy Forum, Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek V’Shalom and the New Israel Fund. All are strong advocates of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Another participant in the meeting was Tom Dine, a former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee who is also known for his dovish views.

“We did not raise the issue of the book in the meeting; it is old news,” one participant told the Forward.

Pardon me while I snicker quietly in the corner.

A Jewish organizational official speaking under condition of anonymity said that Carter invited “almost all major groups” but most of them turned down the invitation. This decision was criticized by those present.

“I think the refusal of Jewish groups to show up is offensive,” said M.J. Rosenberg, Israel Policy Forum’s policy analysis director, who was in attendance. “It is very unfortunate when a former president invites and people don’t show up.”

Yeah? I think Carter’s book, his actions, and his words on Israel are offensive. And I’m not alone.

Foxman rejects the claim that turning down the invitation was improper.

“I don’t disrespect him,” Foxman said, adding that his reason for not coming to the meeting was Carter’s refusal to apologize for arguing that Jews control the media and academia. “He is entitled not to support Israel, but he is not entitled to come out and fuel antisemitic canards.”

Yuppers.

Carter’s chilly reception by the Jewish organizations only got worse a few hours later, when he met with Jewish lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The event, hosted by California Democrat Tom Lantos, served as a forum for Jewish Democrats to vent their outrage at Carter’s book.

“I told him that the Jewish community, that has great respect for his work around the world, is extremely hurt, disappointed and frustrated from his views and that he cannot serve as an honest broker,” Ackerman said.

A similar message was also voiced by Lantos and three other Jewish lawmakers who attended the meeting: Henry Waxman, Howard Berman and Jane Harman.

The members of Congress told Carter that he needs to apologize, but the former president did not do so.

Shyeah, that’ll happen. When pigs fly. Arab oil money is so far up Carter’s ass that when he pees, the price of crude oil drops. He has long shown us whose side he is on, and it is not on the side of “honest broker” for peace in the Middle East. He has advised Arafat and the Palestinians, smeared Israeli politicians at every opportunity, blamed Israel for everything that’s gone wrong, and refused to hold the Palestinians responsible in any way for their situation. I’m wishing someone took a picture of Carter getting his ass handed to him by Democratic Jewish politicians. Not that I think it did much good. He’s not going to change his tune. But at least it shows that Jewish Democrats are not standing by idly while Carter lies and defames Jews and Israel.

Via Omri, who has yet to absorb the facts in the previous sentence of mine. Omri, look again at the people who talked to Carter. Not too many big fish. The big fish told him to shove his “Peace not Apartheid” where the sun don’t shine.