Jimmy Carter, Public Relations for Hamas

President Jimmy Carter’s ultimate transformation into what might politely be called “a shill of Hamas” and what would less politely be termed a, “material supporter of terrorism,” is a tragedy, yet in many ways instructive. His current state looks like the final, tragic stage of the degenerative disease that could be called “peace-process-ism.” Although it may have started with some positive sentiments, Carter’s unrelenting devotion to “the peace process” has reached the point of perversity — he is now thrown his full support behind the annihilationist jihadists, pledged to the total destruction of Israel — and the Jews.

This inevitably results when an irrational devotion to “process” results in the rejection of reality, refusing to see the Middle East political situation as it exists. The final results of this degrading slide are plain in President Carter’s most recent editorial published by Washington Post on May 3rd.

The obfuscation begins immediately. Mr. Carter writes, “Palestine’s two major political movements — Fatah and Hamas are signing a reconciliation agreement on Wednesday that will permit both to contest elections for the presidency and legislature within a year.” A true statement as far as it goes. But calling Hamas simply a “political movement,” instead of a U.S designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) is only the beginning of the sugarcoating of a terrorist organization which would do Willy Wonka proud. Carter continues:

“The accord commits both sides to consensus appointments of an election commission and electoral court. I have observed three elections in the Palestinian territory, and these institutions have already administered elections that all international observers found to be free, fair, honest and free of violence.”

Free from violence that is until later, when Hamas conducted its violent coup in Gaza, killing Fatah members and throwing its opponents off the roofs of buildings.  Fatah, no angels themselves, responded in kind. Carter euphemistically describes this bloodshed by saying “Competition between the two factions turned vicious, and each side has arrested the other’s activists.” Actually it was torture and cold-blooded murder on both sides. In another perversion of history, the former president blames this cold-blooded murder and terror on the West’s refusal to provide aid to a recognized terrorist organization –instead of Hamas’ drive to take complete control of Gaza and Fatah’s fight to prevent it.

Once in total control of the Gaza territory, Hamas began utilizing a mixture of home-made and Iranian-supplied rockets to rain terror down upon Israeli towns like Sderot.  But Jimmy Carter was there.  He visited Sderot and “shared their concerns.” Never mind that thanks to now open borders between Gaza and Egypt, Iranian missiles now put much of Israel under threat of Hamas barrage, not just the long suffering residents of Sderot. Free access to the West Bank by Hamas terrorists, their allies, and their rockets will bring all of Israel into missile range.

Carter says the “suspicion” of Hamas stems from its charter, “which calls for Israel’s destruction.” Even in what Carter probably intended as a sop to those with concerns, he can’t find an honest statement. The “suspicion” of Hamas is not a “suspicion” but based on fact.  Facts such as decades of terror, suicide bombings, kidnappings, and the thousands of rocket, missile and mortar attacks that fell on innocent civilians. Multiple “cease-fires” which were broken unilaterally by Hamas acts of terror. And the Hamas charter does not call merely for the destruction of Israel; it calls for the extermination of the Jews.

“The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The Hour will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. The Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will say: ‘O Muslim, O slave of Allah! There is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!’ (All the trees will say this except for the gharqad (box-thorn), for it is one of the trees of the Jews.)”

The inclusion of this specific religious language in their charter, goes beyond political rhetoric to a deep-rooted commitment to an Islamic ideology that mandates the destruction and elimination of the Jews as a Muslim religious commandment.

The oft-repeated falsehood, that if Hamas is simply permitted to participate in election… or given the responsibility to govern… or invited into a unity government… it will moderate its position is nonsense. And, this nonsense ought not survive the glowing praise of Osama Bin Laden following his death that was provided by Hamas leader Ismail Haniya , but it probably will.  It was Haniya who praised Bin Laden as, “a Muslim and Arab warrior and we pray to God that his soul rests in peace.” On Thursday, marchers in support of the unity agreement carried Fatah flags and pictures of Bin Laden in Gaza city.  This is the same Ismail Haniya who Carter in his Op-ed proudly describes as the source of his assurances of a peaceful future.

Were all these delusions not farcical enough, Carter expects us to take seriously the notion that the new Egyptian government will play an intermediary role in bringing Fatah and Hamas together to generate a peace treaty with Israel.  Is this the same Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood (Hamas’ parent organization) is going play a vital role in the government? The same Egypt, where even those contenders described as leading moderates and liberals, like Mohammad El Baradei, still call for war with Israel, if Israel takes action against terrorists in Gaza? The same Egypt that has already opened the border with Gaza to allow the importation of more rockets and military equipment?  Egypt is a fitting interlocutor only in the feverish minds of those so devoted to “dialogue” that they are willing to ignore all reality.

The U.S. must continue to reject a unity government agreement–  and signing of one should signal the termination of foreign aid to any combined government which includes Hamas. It must also signal the end of training of Palestinian security forces since those forces will now incorporate Hamas soldiers and officers.  If it does not, then the U.S. government will have knowingly provided funds and training to a listed Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Hamas will not moderate its position. Providing it with the legitimacy of governance and rewarding it with U.S. aid will have no moderating effect except to strengthen its murderous genocidal intentions. Nor does the upheaval in Egypt, and the prospect of Islamist or Muslim Brotherhood rule there improve the prospects for peace in any way.

Every clear thinking person seriously seeks peace in this volatile area, and champions diplomacy when the situation calls for it. But peace at any price has proved to be the precursor of a new war time and again in history.  It is a dangerous tragedy when Jimmy Carter, and those like him, turn their devotion to the “peace process” into becoming the public relations department for terrorists like Hamas.