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Former President Jimmy Carter
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| By Israel Insider staff April 10, 2008 |
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Former president Jimmy Carter is to meet in Syria on April 18 with the head of the terrorist group Hamas, Khaled Meshaal. The meeting gives legitimacy to a group defined by the Statement as a terror organization, and undermines the U.S. government's policy of isolating Hamas. Israeli security officials say Meshaal is responsible for coordinating all elements of Hamas and for calling for many of its major terror attacks.
The United States said Thursday it has advised former US president Jimmy Carter against contacting the Palestinian Hamas group after hearing he might meet its leader Khaled Meshaal in Syria.
"If he does go to Syria we will provide support befitting a former president," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
"The State Department however will not participate in the planning or scheduling of any meetings with Hamas figures in Damascus and in fact we have counseled the former president about having such a meeting," McCormack added.
Asked if it advised against such talks, he replied: "Yes, because US government policy is that Hamas is a terrorist organization and we believe it is not the interests of our policy or in the interests of peace to have such a meeting."
With talks ongoing between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority, as well as between Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and her Palestinian counterparts, Carter's planned tryst with arch-terrorists seems designed primarily to intrude his prodigious ego once again into the Mideast peace process, whether or not it serves any useful purpose. Perhaps it will sell some additional books.
"There can be no dialogue with this terrorist organization," said BBI Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. "Israel cannot negotiate with a group that refuses to recognize its very right to exist. Carter is naive to think that this group wants peace. This group wants nothing more than to destroy Israel."
In the wake of the planned meeting, Prime Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni have indicated that Carter is not welcome in Israel, citing "scheduling conflicts." But, typically, President Shimon Peres, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Shas chairman Eli Yishai and the maverick former minister and chairman of Israel Beitenu Avigdor Lieberman have indicated their desire to meet Peres, who will also attend a business conference sponsored by the Haaretz newspaper.
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