Why we hosted Carter (Israel Council for Foreign Relations)

Apr 24, 2008 20:15 | Updated Apr 24, 2008 20:23
Why we hosted Carter
By DAVID KIMCHE

There was much soul-searching in the office of the Israel Council for Foreign Relations. Should former president of the United States Jimmy Carter be invited to speak about his visit to Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia? Should we not follow the example of the prime minister, the foreign minister and the defense minister who decided to boycott him?

His harsh criticism of Israel's actions in the occupied territories and his accusation that our policy bordered on apartheid were, in the opinion of some of the colleagues at the council, ample reasons for not inviting him ...

Who would we be punishing by sticking our fingers in our ears and refusing to listen to what Jimmy Carter had to report on his Middle Eastern tour? Carter or us? More importantly, the Council for Foreign Relations, which is an independent apolitical body, believes in hearing different views, not necessarily those that are identified with official Israeli thinking ...

There were two other considerations that clinched the decision to invite Carter. The treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel was, perhaps, the most important event in the 60 years of Israel's existence as a modern state; it changed the entire strategic equation of Israel ...

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