The world must stop standing idle while the people of Gaza are treated with such cruelty
The world is witnessing a terrible human rights crime in Gaza, where a million and a half human beings are being imprisoned with almost no access to the outside world. An entire population is being brutally punished.
This gross mistreatment of the Palestinians in Gaza was escalated dramatically by Israel, with United States backing, after political candidates representing Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Authority parliament in 2006. The election was unanimously judged to be honest and fair by all international observers.
Israel and the US refused to accept the right of Palestinians to form a unity government with Hamas and Fatah and now, after internal strife, Hamas alone controls Gaza. Forty-one of the 43 victorious Hamas candidates who lived in the West Bank have been imprisoned by Israel, plus an additional 10 who assumed positions in the short-lived coalition cabinet.
Regardless of one's choice in the partisan struggle between Fatah and Hamas within occupied Palestine, we must remember that economic sanctions and restrictions on the supply of water, food, electricity and fuel are causing extreme hardship among the innocent people in Gaza, about one million of whom are refugees.
Israeli bombs and missiles periodically strike the area, causing high casualties among both militants and innocent women and children. Prior to the highly publicised killing of a woman and her four children last week, this pattern had been illustrated by a report from B'Tselem, the leading Israeli human rights organisation, which stated that 106 Palestinians were killed between February 27 and March 3. Fifty-four of them were civilians, and 25 were under 18 years of age.
On a recent trip through the Middle East, I attempted to gain a better understanding of the crisis. One of my visits was to Sderot, a community of about 20,000 in southern Israel that is frequently struck by rockets fired from nearby Gaza. I condemned these attacks as abominable acts of terrorism, since most of the 13 victims during the past seven years have been non-combatants.
Subsequently, I met with leaders of Hamas - a delegation from Gaza and the top officials in Damascus. I made the same condemnation to them, and urged that they declare a unilateral ceasefire or orchestrate with Israel a mutual agreement to terminate all military action in and around Gaza for an extended period.
They responded that such action by them in the past had not been reciprocated, and they reminded me that Hamas had previously insisted on a ceasefire throughout Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank, which Israel had refused. Hamas then made a public proposal of a mutual ceasefire restricted to Gaza, which the Israelis also rejected.
There are fervent arguments heard on both sides concerning blame for a lack of peace in the Holy Land. Israel has occupied and colonised the Palestinian West Bank, which is approximately a quarter the size of the nation of Israel as recognised by the international community. Some Israeli religious factions claim a right to the land on both sides of the Jordan river, others that their 205 settlements of some 500,000 people are necessary for "security".
All Arab nations have agreed to recognise Israel fully if it will comply with key United Nations resolutions. Hamas has agreed to accept any negotiated peace settlement between the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, provided it is approved in a referendum of the Palestinian people.
This holds promise of progress, but despite the brief fanfare and positive statements at the peace conference last November in Annapolis, the process has gone backwards. Nine thousand new Israeli housing units have been announced in Palestine; the number of roadblocks within the West Bank has increased; and the stranglehold on Gaza has been tightened.
It is one thing for other leaders to defer to the US in the crucial peace negotiations, but the world must not stand idle while innocent people are treated cruelly. It is time for strong voices in Europe, the US, Israel and elsewhere to speak out and condemn the human rights tragedy that has befallen the Palestinian people.
· Jimmy Carter, a former president of the United States, is founder of The Carter Centerproject-syndicate.org
The world must stop standing idle while the people of Gaza are treated with such cruelty
The world is witnessing a terrible human rights crime in Gaza, where a million and a half human beings are being imprisoned with almost no access to the outside world. An entire population is being brutally punished.
This gross mistreatment of the Palestinians in Gaza was escalated dramatically by Israel, with United States backing, after political candidates representing Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Authority parliament in 2006. The election was unanimously judged to be honest and fair by all international observers.
Israel and the US refused to accept the right of Palestinians to form a unity government with Hamas and Fatah and now, after internal strife, Hamas alone controls Gaza. Forty-one of the 43 victorious Hamas candidates who lived in the West Bank have been imprisoned by Israel, plus an additional 10 who assumed positions in the short-lived coalition cabinet.
Regardless of one's choice in the partisan struggle between Fatah and Hamas within occupied Palestine, we must remember that economic sanctions and restrictions on the supply of water, food, electricity and fuel are causing extreme hardship among the innocent people in Gaza, about one million of whom are refugees.
Israeli bombs and missiles periodically strike the area, causing high casualties among both militants and innocent women and children. Prior to the highly publicised killing of a woman and her four children last week, this pattern had been illustrated by a report from B'Tselem, the leading Israeli human rights organisation, which stated that 106 Palestinians were killed between February 27 and March 3. Fifty-four of them were civilians, and 25 were under 18 years of age.
On a recent trip through the Middle East, I attempted to gain a better understanding of the crisis. One of my visits was to Sderot, a community of about 20,000 in southern Israel that is frequently struck by rockets fired from nearby Gaza. I condemned these attacks as abominable acts of terrorism, since most of the 13 victims during the past seven years have been non-combatants.
Subsequently, I met with leaders of Hamas - a delegation from Gaza and the top officials in Damascus. I made the same condemnation to them, and urged that they declare a unilateral ceasefire or orchestrate with Israel a mutual agreement to terminate all military action in and around Gaza for an extended period.
They responded that such action by them in the past had not been reciprocated, and they reminded me that Hamas had previously insisted on a ceasefire throughout Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank, which Israel had refused. Hamas then made a public proposal of a mutual ceasefire restricted to Gaza, which the Israelis also rejected.
There are fervent arguments heard on both sides concerning blame for a lack of peace in the Holy Land. Israel has occupied and colonised the Palestinian West Bank, which is approximately a quarter the size of the nation of Israel as recognised by the international community. Some Israeli religious factions claim a right to the land on both sides of the Jordan river, others that their 205 settlements of some 500,000 people are necessary for "security".
All Arab nations have agreed to recognise Israel fully if it will comply with key United Nations resolutions. Hamas has agreed to accept any negotiated peace settlement between the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, provided it is approved in a referendum of the Palestinian people.
This holds promise of progress, but despite the brief fanfare and positive statements at the peace conference last November in Annapolis, the process has gone backwards. Nine thousand new Israeli housing units have been announced in Palestine; the number of roadblocks within the West Bank has increased; and the stranglehold on Gaza has been tightened.
It is one thing for other leaders to defer to the US in the crucial peace negotiations, but the world must not stand idle while innocent people are treated cruelly. It is time for strong voices in Europe, the US, Israel and elsewhere to speak out and condemn the human rights tragedy that has befallen the Palestinian people.
· Jimmy Carter, a former president of the United States, is founder of The Carter Centerproject-syndicate.org
I'm ashamed my country helps fund this cruelity, I hope, truely, that the people of Israel can live in peace and security someday, but they won't acheice that my treating the Palistinians like dogs>(
I'm ashamed my country helps fund this cruelity, I hope, truely, that the people of Israel can live in peace and security someday, but they won't acheice that my treating the Palistinians like dogs>(
I agree but the palestinians must also be reasonable in their requests.
Can Americans re-elect Jimmy Carter to be their next president?
Theoretically, but only for one term seeing as he's already served one.
US presidents can be elected for a maximum of 8 years, actually I think , theoretically they can serve for 10, like if they are vice president, the president is disposed of, they serve as president for two years(like to finish the term) and then run on their own and are elected and then reelected.
Something like that.
Of course that's all theoretical as he has no realistic prospect of winning.
I think Obama may be better, Hillary and McCain are hawks.
This is never going to end. Not enough people on both sides want it to end. It only takes a minority on either side fuel cycle of violence. Justification for horrible acts is given to both sides which perpetuates the conflict.
But, as I've said before, if there's one thing I've learned from some of the posters here, is that I'm sure it will be solved through extreme violence and killing innocent people.
this issue is a wonderful issue if one wishes to drive the people on this forum into an infinite cycle of "your fault, my fault"... no unanimous agreement has ever been reached on this forum with regard to this issue, just like no agreement has ever been reached between the two states. How does anyone ever think that the issue will be resolved if people posting on an internet forum, who arent even directly involved in the conflict, cant even come to terms? It is a sad thing to say but I think one of these nations will have to cease to exist for this conflict to end...
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
- Bertrand Russell
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the
enemy." - George Washington
this issue is a wonderful issue if one wishes to drive the people on this forum into an infinite cycle of "your fault, my fault"... no unanimous agreement has ever been reached on this forum with regard to this issue, just like no agreement has ever been reached between the two states. How does anyone ever think that the issue will be resolved if people posting on an internet forum, who arent even directly involved in the conflict, cant even come to terms? It is a sad thing to say but I think one of these nations will have to cease to exist for this conflict to end...
good point, on a side note I beleive I'll be passing through your city today
train I beleive, I think don't know if directly through it or just nearby.
I've been a few times, always liked the city.
i think you will be passing nearby, i know it doesnt go through it. I dont actually live in Charlotte, I fly out of there a lot but I live about 60 miles outside the city in the country. I like it better out here, the city is a great city though, very clean and the people are a lot friendlier than in alot of other cities I visit. If you ever stop when you are passing through and you want a good dinner stop by Bentleys on 27, it is pricey but if you are by yourself it is no different than going out with your wife or girlfriend. Anyways it is on the 27th floor in the Charlotte Plaza and you get a really great view of the city (get the filet with crab).
Hope you have a safe trip.
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
- Bertrand Russell
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the
enemy." - George Washington
Golan Heights and Jersualem are considered neutral land to be ran by the UN.
Why the U.N.? If you don't mind my asking. And why "Neutral" land? That's holy land. Shouldn't the sons of Abraham handle that? I mean, the U.N. doesn't exactly have any right to run the Vatican either?
2. Admit that the way in which the state of Israel was created was wrong and don't be afraid to make a new beginning.
3. Hold to the religious obligations of your ancestors.
4. Realize you are all different branches of the same family tree and just because your traditions are different, doesn't mean your faith is.
5. Find it in your hearts to heal your family - you've ALL been through enough misery and none of you have gained from it.
6. Embrace God by whatever name you like. He is your glue.
If I could give you the tribal lands of Benjamin and Judah, your rightful inheritence, with signed permissions from every Muslim scholar (and I do mean every last one of them), so there is not one left in dispute, would you be willing to forgive and be forgiven? We're talking about a different Israel... a "real" one that won't need walls to hide behind.
If I could deliver that to you, would you accept it?
Why the U.N.? If you don't mind my asking. And why "Neutral" land? That's holy land. Shouldn't the sons of Abraham handle that? I mean, the U.N. doesn't exactly have any right to run the Vatican either?
The Ninth Scribe
The UN because that what came to me off the top of my head. Jerusalem can be governed by a council that's made up of equally Jewish, Islamic and Christian Scholars. The Golan Heights on the other hand has very strategic importance and should be handled by an objective group so that no one can use it to an advantage.
As for neutral I mean that no one of the 3 groups should be able to claim it as soley theirs.
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