Elliott Abrams in the Washington Post – in response to Jimmy Carter:
Most inaccurate of all, and most bizarre, is Carter’s claim that “a total freeze of settlement expansion is the key” to a peace agreement. Not a halt to terrorism, not the building of Palestinian institutions, not the rule of law in the West Bank, not the end of Hamas rule in Gaza — no, the sole “key” is Israeli settlements. Such a conclusion fits with Carter’s general approach, in which there are no real Palestinians, just victims of Israel. The century of struggle between moderate and radical Palestinians, and the victories of terrorists from Haj Amin al-Husseini to Yasser Arafat, are forgotten; the Hamas coup in Gaza is unmentioned; indeed the words “Hamas” and “terrorism” do not appear in Carter’s column. Instead of appealing for support for the serious and practical work of institution-building that the Palestinian Authority has begun, Carter fantasizes about a “nonviolent civil rights struggle” that bears no relationship to the terrorist violence that has plagued Palestinian society, and killed Israelis, for decades. Carter’s portrait demonizes Israelis and, not coincidentally, it infantilizes Palestinians, who are accorded no real responsibility for their fate or future. If this is “the Elders’ view of the Middle East,” we and our friends in that region are fortunate that this group of former officials is no longer in power.
Daled Amos, by the way, provides many more reasons we should be glad that the Elders are no longer in power.
Jimmy Carter: arguably the worst president in US history, and, without a shadow of a doubt, the most pathetic ex-president. A disgrace to the institution.
These Elders should get a full treatment from Obamacare
One of the best put downs of Carters’ anti-Israel position that I have had the enjoyment of reading! This senile ex-president has had Saudi funds paying for his trips and anti-Israel stance, and will eventually become too foolish for even the left wing to take him seriously.
Alex,
I’d say the worst President was James Buchanan, although The Peanut was bad enough. Second worst, I’d say. At least Jimmy did not sit around sucking his thumb doing zilch while a civil war brewed. Perhaps that was only for lack of opportunity, no such war being brewed while Jimmy was in the White House. On the other hand your comment about “most pathetic ex-president” is spot on.
Highly ironic, I think, that so many of these ‘Elders’ are living proof of the fact that age does not necessarily bring wisdom!