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June 16, 2009

Gaza Tour Troubles Former US President Carter
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Jimmy Carter expresses grief, despair and anger after seeing destruction
caused during Israel's military offensive in Gaza Strip earlier this
year 
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter waves as he arrives to inspect the
damages of the American International School in the northern Gaza strip,
16 June 2009Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has expressed grief,
despair and anger after seeing the destruction caused during Israel's
military offensive in the Gaza Strip earlier this year. Mr. Carter
toured parts of the Palestinian territory Tuesday and met with top
officials from Hamas, which runs Gaza. Speaking alongside top Hamas
leader Ismail Haniya, Mr. Carter said he hopes rival Palestinian
factions Hamas and Fatah can reconcile in the interest of regional
peace. He noted that he is not a representative of the U.S. government,
but said he supports President Barack Obama's call for the establishment
of a Palestinian state. Mr. Haniya said Hamas supports establishing a
Palestinian state according to the 1967 borders, meaning before Israel
captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East
War. Mr. Haniya said he and Mr. Carter also discussed the Israeli
soldier held in Gaza since 2006. He said he encourages negotiations to
reach an agreement to swap Palestinian prisoners for the captured
Israeli, Gilad Shalit. Mr. Carter was expected to give Hamas a letter
from Shalit's family. The soldier has become a focal point in efforts to
mediate a long-term cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The
Israeli military says the aim of its offensive in Gaza was to stop
Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. On Sunday, Israel's Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said he would endorse a separate Palestinian state as
long as it has no military force and recognizes Israel as the nation
state of the Jewish people. President Obama acknowledged the conditions
Mr. Netanyahu attached to Palestinian statehood, but said they could be
discussed in negotiations.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.


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