Former president Carter said he was going to meet with Hamas as a private citizen. That is a little disingenuous - private citizens do not get to walk up and meet with Hamas. If they did, don't you think Israel would have tried that one.
So why did he go.
Salvage his legacy. If it worked once - Egypt and Israel, he could do it again. if only you get all people to sit down and discuss their issues. He forgets. Camp David was a failure until the last day. Carter was ready to give up, go home, and watch as the remaining visitors departed. he says so in his memoir 'Keeping Faith' ... but for the final moment when the two sides - without the US - made compromises. It was Sadat that made Camp David a success, NOT Carter.
Carter cannot go back and undo Iran, but he can sort of the single greatest obstacle to peace in the Middle East - Israel. Or so he believes. The left believes that there would be peace BUT for Israel's intransigence. The left believes the word of the Palestinian and Hamas leaders - they accept them at their word, but deny the Israeli government's word.
Interesting conundrum you arrive at when you follow that silly logic. You turn reality upside down and make peace with the killers and criticize the people who desire above all else, peace.
After the democratic elections in which Hamas took over and since Israel has pulled out of Gaza, an average of 10 rockets a day have reigned down upon Israel from Hamas controlled Gaza. This included during the time Carter was meeting with Hamas.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, revitalization, calm, no rocket attacks, no Israeli air raids, no Israeli attacks - quite. Yet Carter blamed the failure of his meetings on Israel, for failing to take part in the meetings.
A difference. But Carter chose Hamas.
When Carter finished his visit, he told the world that Hamas was ready to accept Israel's right to exist if the Palestinian people agreed to peace after a referendum.
Within hours Hamas responded - Carter left without any assurances. Hamas leader Khaled Meshael told a press conference that Hamas would not recognize the Jewish state and would insist on the return of 4.5 million Palestinian refugees.
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