President Jimmy Carter’s Op-Ed on Gaza

Former US President Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson wrote an op-ed piece in Foreign Policy Magazine that discusses their argument for the inclusion of Hamas in the political discussions regarding the Israel Palestine conflict. This is an interesting piece that is worth reading and contemplating, as it suggests ways for the end to this conflict in Gaza.

In his piece, Carter and Robinson seems to make a number of arguments, beginning by stating that Hamas has moved on their political positions compared to the past. Namely, they state that:

“This tragedy [the recent Israeli actions in Gaza] results from the deliberate obstruction of a promising move toward peace in the region, when a reconciliation agreement among the Palestinian factions was announced in April. This was a major concession by Hamas, in opening Gaza to joint control under a technocratic government that did not include any Hamas members. The new government also pledged to adopt the three basic principles demanded by the Middle East Quartet comprised of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia: nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and adherence to past agreements. Tragically, Israel rejected this opportunity for peace and has succeeded in preventing the new government’s deployment in Gaza.”

They went on to say that the blockade should be lifted, and that

“There is no humane or legal justification for the way the Israeli Defense Forces are conducting this war. Israeli bombs, missiles, and artillery have pulverized large parts of Gaza, including thousands of homes, schools, and hospitals. More than 250,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestinian noncombatants have been killed. Much of Gaza has lost access to water and electricity completely. This is a humanitarian catastrophe.”

Importantly, he also spoke out against Hamas’ crimes, namely their indiscriminate rockets against civilians. On this, Carter said that

“Hamas’s indiscriminate targeting of Israeli civilians is equally unacceptable [,]” before commenting on the number of Palestinian civilians killed. He also called for investigations into these actions carried out both by Israel and Hamas.

Carter and Robinson also call for an increased role of the United Nations, that includes calls to end Israeli actions in Gaza, the introduction of monitors, along with “enshrin[ing] strict measures to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.”