President Jimmy Carter: Palestinians Treated Like Animals

One has to admire the courage of U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Whether one agrees or disagrees, his words are courageous because in the United States dissent from pro-Israel talking points are not tolerated. Carter is proof of that. The man has done more for Israel's security and well-being by negotiating the Egyptian-Israeli peace accord, but that did not stop American Zionists from demonizing the president as anti-Israel if not an anti-Semite.

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The crimes of Israel.

Carter's critiques objected to the use of the word "apartheid" in a book the president authored on the prospect of Palestinian-Israeli peace. Carter's point was that failing a peace agreement, the West Bank will descend into an apartheid system where the minority Jews will rule over the majority Arabs in a occupation matrix that denies Arabs their natural rights. Israel's former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made the same point. This argument is simply stating the obvious for how else are things to look if the Palestinians are still occupied: either apartheid or ethnic cleansing.

But here in the United States, the image of Israel as a benign power and a liberal society is vigorously defended by its cohorts of supports and any person who offers even timid criticism of the Jewish state is attacked until he is pushed to the fringe (just ask Chas Freeman). Carter was sidelined at the 2008 Democratic convention for his criticisms of Israel and national party leaders distanced themselves from him. Yes, Virginia, there is an Israel lobby.

But that has not had the effect the lobby wanted. Carter still remains a defender of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights. While the morally bankrupt American establishment remains silent in the face of Israel's blockade of 1.5 million in the most cruel action against an entire people since the Holocaust, Carter has spoken truth to power by stating that the Zionist entity treats Palestinians "like animals."

"My primary feeling today is one of grief and despair and an element of anger when I see the destruction perpetrated against innocent people," Carter said as he toured the impoverished territory.

"Tragically, the international community too often ignores the cries for help and the citizens of Palestine are treated more like animals than like human beings," he said.

"The starving of 1.5 million human beings of the necessities of life -- never before in history has a large community like this been savaged by bombs and missiles and then denied the means to repair itself," Carter said at a UN school graduation ceremony in Gaza City.

The United States and Europe "must try to do all that is necessary to convince Israel and Egypt to allow basic goods into Gaza," he said.

"At same time, there must be no more rockets" from Gaza into Israel, said Carter, who brokered the historic 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

"I have to hold back tears when I see the deliberate destruction that has been wracked against your people," he said at a destroyed American school, saying it was "deliberately destroyed by bombs from F16s made in my country."

Israel's offensive killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and left large swathes of the coastal strip sandwiched between Israel and Egypt in ruins. Thirteen Israelis also died in the conflict.

"I feel partially responsible for this as must all Americans and Israelis," Carter said.

His numbers will only multiple.