Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 8/08 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 5. – 21. April 2008 1. Jimmy Carter im Nahen Osten Auf seiner neuntägigen Nahostreise besuchte der ehemalige US-Präsident Jimmy Carter, der 1978 an den Friedensverhandlungen zwischen Ägypten und Israel beteiligt war und dafür mit dem Friedensnobelpreis geehrt worden war, vergangene Woche unter anderem Israel und das Westjordanland. Carter, der sich schon aufgrund seines Buches‘Palestine: Peace not Apartheid’ in Israel geringer Beliebtheit erfreut, konnte weder bei Premierminister Olmert noch bei anderen Regierungsmitgliedern einen Termin erhalten und wurde einzig von Präsident Shimon Peres empfangen. Dieser kritisierte ihn jedoch wegen einem geplanten Treffen mit dem politischen Führer der Hamas, Khaled Meshal. Carter hatte sich gegen eine Isolation der Gruppe, die von den USA, der EU und Israel als terroristische Organisation eingestuft wird, ausgesprochen und angegeben, durch Einbeziehung der Hamas den Friedensprozess fördern zu wollen. Trotz aller Kritik trat er öffentlich im Rahmen einer Vortragsveranstaltung des Israeli Council on Foreign Relations in Jerusalem auf. Why Israel snubbed Carter “From the government's point of view, nothing good - and some bad- could come out of Jimmy Carter's unsolicited visit here.[…] [But Carter] got his high-profile meetings with some Israeli leaders, gaining an audience with President Shimon Peres.[…] These meetings, according to diplomatic officials, can now be used by Carter against pro-Israel activists in the US trying to marginalize him because of his comparisons between Israel and apartheid South Africa. The concern is that Carter will now accuse his Jewish critics in the US of‘hysteria,’ pointing out that Israel's own president had no problem meeting him. […] The government is concerned that Carter, by meeting the Hamas leader in Damascus, will set a trend.[…] In addition, a concern of appearances precluded an Olmert-Carter meting after Carter made clear he was determined to meet the Hamas head. Israel was worried that if Carter met Olmert and then met Mashaal, it would inevitably be reported that he had brought a message to the Hamas leader from the Israeli prime minister. Israeli denials would do little to dispel impressions that there were some indirect negotiations going on- an image that would perhaps serve Carter, but not necessarily Israel.“ Herb Keinon, JPO 16.05.08 Our debt to Jimmy Carter “The government of Israel is boycotting Jimmy Carter[…]. The boycott will not be remembered as a glorious moment in this government's history. Jimmy Carter has dedicated his life to humanitarian missions, to peace, to promoting democratic elections, and to better understanding between enemies throughout the world.[…] But Israelis have not liked him since he wrote the book‘Palestine: Peace not Apartheid’. Israel is not ready for such comparisons, even though the situation begs it.[…] The interim political situation in the territories has crystallized into a kind of apartheid that has been ongoing for 40 years.[…] Whether Carter's approach to conflict resolution is considered by the Israeli government as appropriate or defeatist, no one can take away from the former U.S. president his international standing, nor the fact that he brought Israel and Egypt to a signed peace that has since held.[…] For the peace agreement with Egypt, he deserves the respect reserved for royalty for the rest of his life.” HAA, 15.04.08 1