Carter: Gaza residents 'starving to death'

YNet ^ | Apr. 17, 2008

[Alouette]

Former US president defends meetings with Hamas terrorists, tells university students in Egypt sanctions imposed on Gaza Strip are 'criminal atrocity' after meeting in private with Hamas leaders. 'For every Israeli killed,' says Carter, 'between 30 to 40 Palestinians are killed because of the extreme military capability of Israel'

News agencies Published: 04.18.08, 00:27 / Israel News

Former US President Jimmy Carter called the blockade of Gaza a crime and an atrocity on Thursday and said US attempts to undermine the Islamist movement Hamas had been counterproductive.

Speaking at the American University in Cairo after talks with Hamas leaders from, Carter said Palestinians in Gaza were being "starved to death" and received fewer calories a day than people in the poorest parts of Africa.

"It's an atrocity what is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza. It's a crime... I think it is an abomination that this continues to go on," Carter said.

Carter said Israel and the US were trying to make the quality of life in Gaza markedly worse than in the West Bank, where the rival Fatah group is in control.

"I think politically speaking this has worked even to strengthen the popularity of Hamas and to the detriment of the popularity of Fatah," he added.

Carter said Hamas, which does not recognize Israel's right to exist, must be involved in any arrangements that could lead to peace.

"One of the reasons I wanted to come and meet with the Syrians and Hamas was to set an example that might be emulated by others... I know that there are some officials in the Israeli government that are quite willing to meet with Hamas and maybe that will happen in the near future," he added, without naming who those Israeli officials may be.

Asked for Qassams to stop

Carter's talks in Cairo were with former Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar and former Interior Minister Saeed Seyam, who did not speak to reporters. Hamas officials have touted the meetings as a recognition of their legitimacy after their 2006 election victory.

Carter said he had also asked Hamas officials to stop rocket attacks into Israel.

He said that during his visit to Israel, the first stop on his regional tour, he saw rockets that had been fired by Hamas and ''met with people who lost loved ones.''

''At the same time, if you live in Gaza, you know that for every Israeli killed in any kind of combat, between 30 to 40 Palestinians are killed because of the extreme military capability of Israel,'' Carter said.

There was more criticism of Carter in Washington, where U.S. Congressman Joe Knollenberg, a Republican from Michigan, proposed legislation to prohibit federal funding of the Atlanta, Georgia-based Carter Center. The bill has very little chance of approval.

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama also criticized Carter, saying he had a ''fundamental disagreement'' with the former president. ''We must not negotiate with a terrorist group intent on Israel's destruction,'' Obama said.

In Israel, all the country's senior political leaders except President Shimon Peres declined to meet with Carter when he visited.

He is expected Friday in Syria - the latest stop on a tour he calls a private Mideast peace mission - where he said he will meet with Hamas' exiled political chief Khaled Mashaal, as well as Syrian President Bashar Assad. Afterwards Carter is also to visit Saudi Arabia and Jordan before returning to Israel late Sunday.

[bert]

They are starving because they are being starved out. It is one of the oldest siege tactics known to man.

So far, absent the senseless meddling of a doddering legacyless old fool, it is not suceeding very well yet however.

[DCPatriot]

Is Gaza blocked from receiving food, etc., from the Mediterranean Sea? From Egypt? Have the Israelis completely isolated Gaza?

[mkjessup]

JIMMY, YOU STUPID FREAKIN NIMROD, TELL THEM TO STOP KILLING ISRAELI'S THEN. DUH. Yes, I am shouting. If GWB doesn't send the air force to fly Carter's arse right back to Leavenworth, he should resign and hand things over to Cheney. The damage Carter is allowed to continue to do is stupefying.

Now, now, calm yourself FRiend, did you not hear that our illustrious President has been trying mightily to 'change the tone' in Washington?

To engage in partisan politics against the former 39th President would not be productive to the cause of peace, have you not heard of the Bush 'Roadmap to Peace'? Two peaceful states, Hamastine and Palestine, living next to each other on the gravesite of what used to called 'Israel'.

You must shed these antiquated notions my FRiend, and show some sympathy for those poor suffering Palestinians with nothing but bomb vests to wear, don't you know it gets cold in the winter with explosives and wiring the only thing keeping your body warm?

What a pity it is, try to show some compassion, ok? ;)

[mkjessup]

Is Gaza blocked from receiving food, etc....?

Not to my knowledge FRiend, Israel pulled OUT of Gaza unilaterally, so as I see it, the violence that persists isn't the fault of Israel, and if (as the Buffoon from Plains claims) the IDF is sending 30 to 40 Palestinians on to their eternal reward for every single Israeli killed, I'd say that's a pretty good reason for the Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere to STOP their terrorist activities!

PS, how's the blood pressure going? Did you have a chance to try that Olive Leaf Extract we talked about a while back?

[DFG]

Carter said Palestinians in Gaza were being "starved to death GOOD!

[GoldenPup]

30-40 to one? What’s the problem? Seems a little low to me. I wonder how high it has to go before hamas realizes it is fighting a battle that they cannot possibly ever win? 100 to one? 200 to one? If they keep it up, eventually they ALL will die...and take the rest of their poor population with them. Jerks !!!

[Uri’el-2012]

This is a Blessing in disguise; Jimmy represents Democrat Party Foreign Policy !

[blam]

These are the people who were dancing in the streets when citizens of my country were dying in the WTC.

Let'em starve!!

[DCPatriot]

LOL! Regarding the BP....I couldn't find the olive leave extract at CVS....I'll have to try the Vitamin Shoppe. Thank you so much for reminding me about it. Just took the BP at CVS while waiting for my prescription...it was 133/82 with 74 BPM. Typcial hypertension numbers I think.

Thanks, FRiend.

[Nuc1]

Indeed! HamAss instead of counting on J. Carter to win your little war for you I suggest you employ an alternative strategy, STOP KILLING PEOPLE and live in peace with your neighbors. Carter cannot fight anything and he was frightened by a rabbit. Israel can beat you like a drum whenever they want and at some point they will become tired and frustrated and, HamAss it will be the end of you, and who could blame them. They have done everything to save you from yourselves and you refuse to be saved. So be it.

[Alouette]

‘’At the same time, if you live in Gaza, you know that for every Israeli killed in any kind of combat, between 30 to 40 Palestinians are killed because of the extreme military capability of Israel,’’ Carter said

With Israel's military capacity, it should be 1,000 to 1.

[river rat]

Perhaps Jimmuh could divert some of his Saudi Arabian donations to the “Carter Presidential Library” to feed the poor Palestinians in Gaza..

Why must the targets of these Militant Islamists feed their enemy?

Why can’t the oil rich Islamic Republics feed their co-religionists themselves?

Sorry - but I’m no longer inclined to feed Islamists ANYWHERE in the world......

It long past due to pass the job of “sucker to the world” on to the folks with the money -— The OPEC nations....

[Dr.Zoidberg]

I would think time spent in the fields growing food would be more productive than building vest bombs and firing missiles into Israel.

The problem with that is food in their bellies doesn't feed the bloodlust in their hearts. Only dead Israelis can do that.

And it's easy to see which hunger is more immediate.

carter needs to find himself on the receiving end of some of the pali rockets, preferable face to face with one. But that's not going to happen, the devil take care of his own.

[Selmore]

So, if they kill more Israelites and get the ratio up to 1 /1 , Mr. Carter will be happy.

[quadrant]

If the Gazans are starving, why aren't they're brother Arabs arranging for relief supplies through Egypt?

[Hildy]

If you remember correctly, they were given state of the art hothouses, but they chose to tear them down the first day they were given to them. The bottom line is they cannot take care of themselves. Machismo + Inferiority = Palestinian.

[Bobalu]

[redreno]

[El Gato]

'For every Israeli killed,' says Carter, 'between 30 to 40 Palestinians are killed

That's terrible. Israel just has to try harder. The terrorists breed like rabbits. They take "barefoot and pregnant" to be a national goal. And since they also take multiple wives, 4 if they follow the rules, you can kill off 3/4 of the males before they breed, and they'll still produce just as many little terrorists for the next generation. And of course they brainwash and train them to be just that.

[gunner03]

I believe theres a bill being submitted by a NC congresswoman to revoke his passport. I pray that this happens.