The much heralded uprising at the Carter Center (all recent Presidents have their own museums) in Atlanta involves 13 apparently Jewish employees and advisors who resigned en masse in protest of former President Carter’s new book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.  The resignations came on the heels of resignation of Emery University’s Kenneth Stein, formerly Jimmy Carter’s mentor on Israel, and a public complaint by author Dennis Ross.  Ross’ mother is Jewish, making him an honorary Israeli patriot, eligible for citizenship there along with the others. 

The letter of resignation is fully reproduced here with its list of subjective and somewhat trivial historical “falsehoods.” These seem to be intended to detract from the undeniable facts found in the book.  President Carter compassionately describes the inhuman and deplorable conditions of occupation and imprisonment that exist today in the West Bank and Gaza from eye witness experience; He has made many trips there and met with Israeli leaders going back to its Golda Meir. 

The members in revolt on the Carter Center Board of Councilors attempt to refute Carter’s facts and statements carried by the press in connection with the recent book promotion. Author Dennis Ross claims to be the maker of two kidney shaped maps of the West Bank which are reproduced on page 148 of Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. He objects to Carter’s interpretations of the maps and perhaps to his use of them, but not it seems to the content. 

Those in revolt do not challenge the facts in the map of the West Bank on page 153, which shows the locations of 209 Jewish squatters’ settlements within Palestinian borders. These illegally pock mark every part of the West Bank, and are the homes for some 200,000 Israeli Jews living on occupied Palestinian lands and protected by IDF.

Neither is the book cover photo on Peace Not Apartheid challenged, which shows the security wall, standing about five times the height of the Palestinian protestors standing in front of it; nor have I seen anyone refute Mr. Carter’s map on page 191 of the ”Completed Separation Wall” that clearly surrounds some of the West Bank communities, which when finished will be several time longer than Israel’s international border (the Greenline) because it weaves in and out of Palestinian territory, encircling towns and valuable farms.

Instead those at the Carter Center who are in revolt complain about the title of the book, and quote the Anti-Defamation League as their authority: “Apartheid…energized white supremacist groups who thrive on asserting Jewish control of government and foreign policy.” 

What a pathetic reach for the ADL.  The Republic of South Africa‘s “Apartheid” was all about white voting control over blacks.  That should make Israel popular with “white supremacist groups.”  In fact even a few members of the press are talking about AIPAC and excessive Jewish control of government and foreign policy.  

The ADL makes up whatever prejudice stories it needs.  It can’t make Carter out to be “anti-Semitic” because he has been surrounded by Jewish advisors.  President Carter won a Noble Peace Prize for brokering peace for Israel.  Carter has given his last 20 years to the cause of equality…now he seeks equality for the Philistines.  

I agree with the ADL in one small detail. The Afrikaner word “Apartheid” does not properly fit Israel because what it does to Philistines every day is much worse than anything South Africans ever did to its blacks.  A better term to describe Israel is “gulag keepers.”  Israel is the jailer of the Gaza gulag, and according to Peace Not Apartheid, the West Bank is becoming an archipelago of gulags. 

This author toured South Africa independently in 1987 during the controversy over “Apartheid,” and in 2002 I also made an unsponsored visit inside the totally surrounded prison called Gaza, which President Carter describes in Peace not Apartheid.  My experiences fully support what President Carter reports about Gaza and Isreli rule.  However by comparison to Israel, South Africans were generous and fair with transient, immigrant, and indigenous blacks.  Afrikaners did not consider the tribal people sub-human, they viewed them as an uncontrolled immigration problem similar to the uncontrolled Mexican influx in Southern California.  To the contrary, Israelis, most of whom are military trained, openly call their Philistine neighbors “animals.”

Not one South African I have known ever claimed that God gave them the land because they are “chosen” by God.  But Israel’s government claims this at every level, and offer God as their excuse for bulldozing homes and for killing 600 people last year, including about 200 children.  President Carter’s choice of title gets the point across, but it is far too generous to Israel, and if anything, is an insult to the South Africans.  He probably did not intend this.  I prefer to call Israelis what Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn would probably call them, the keepers of the gulags.

The makers of revolt at Carter Center also take exception with Carter’s statements that the press and Jewish intellectuals do not shoot straight with Palestine:  “For the last 30 years, I have witnessed and experienced the severe restraints on any free and balanced discussion of the facts.” 

Bravo, President Carter!  He has seen both sides of the question, and his is a brave change of heart by one who, like this writer, was a Baptist Deacon, expected to accept without consideration or biblical evidence that Israel is a God icon next to Jesus. The Christian-Zionists influenced Southern Baptist Convention teaches that whatever Israel does is inexplicably God’s hand in action.  President Carter left it five years ago!  This author left in 1991. 

Those millions of Americans who have taken tours of Israel, especially those sponsored by Christian-Zionist churches or the Israeli government, should go back into occupied territories alone, as I did, or they should read and believe Peace not Apartheid.   Then they can understand what Jimmy Carter knows, and has courageously written.

Those Jewish advisors in revolt at the Carter Center no doubt feel betrayed because they assumed President Carter, like his predecessors, was under the firm guiding hand of the predominantly Israeli influenced advisors, church, and press.  He has changed, probably beginning with his awakening about his church.

President Carter and your author have a second experience in common; the Anti-Defamation League has attacked and attempted to defame both of us.  President Carter should be honored by the enemies he has earned by his noble acts. –CEC

Jewish Power in America: the Revolt at the Carter Center http://cp.whtt.org/index.php?news=2&id=1145

The End Times for Christian Zionism  http://cp.whtt.org/index.php?news=2&id=1122

How the Anti-Defamation League Controls its Opposition 

By Charles Carlson, his own experience

http://cp.whtt.org/index.php?news=2&id=473

 

President Carter supports Baptists Announce Breakout from the Christian Right

http://eshop.whtt.org/index.php?news=2&id=1147

 

One Nation Under Israel, who is really in control of America?

By Andrew Hurley

A superbly researched 345 page paperback is essential to understanding how the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) controls the foreign policy of the US Congress, which also explains why the current Democratic Congress will not bring peace to the Middle East without massive pressure from the voters. Sold at our bookstore and free with every contribution.