Former US President Jimmy Carter is asking for forgiveness of the Jewish community for forgiveness for any stigma he may have caused Israel.

The following are excerpts of the seasonal message which was released exclusively to the JTA, [link to complete letter at end of YWN article]

“…..I have the hope and a prayer that the State of Israel will flourish as a Jewish state within secure and recognized borders in peaceful co-existence with its neighbors and with all the Moslem States, and that this peaceful co-existence will bring security, prosperity and happiness to the people of Israel and to the people of the Middle East of all faiths.

“We must recognize Israel’s achievements under difficult circumstances, even as we strive in a positive way to help Israel continue to improve its relations with its Arab populations, but we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel. As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so.”

JUST A FEW CARTER HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PAST 2 YEARS:

It should be noted that although Mr. Carter has released many anti-Israel comments over the years, he has been actively involved in trying to obtain the release of abducted IDF Soldier Gilad Shalit. Most recently he met with Chacham Ovadia Yosef Shlita, as well as delivering a letter to the Shalit family written by Gilad.

In 2008, Carter passed a photo of missing IDF Soldier Guy Chever to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asking for assistance.

CARTER NOT HELPING ISRAEL:

In July 2009 Mr Carter visited Hamas-controlled Gaza, and told the media that he was “holding back tears” in his description of the difficult situation, calling upon Israel to end the blockade and stop treating Gaza residents like “savages”. Carter blamed Israel for the “humanitarian crisis” that exists in Gaza today. On that same trip to Gaza Carter delivered a letter to Hamas from the Shalit’s to give to their captive son.

In December 2008, Carter met with Syrian President Assad and then called on Israel to give the Golan Heights to Syria.

In December 2008, Carter caused quite a stir when he scheduled a meeting with senior Hamas terrorist Khaled Meshal, currently exiled in Damascus. Carter was slammed by many people – most notably then US Democratic hopeful Senator Barack Obama. While speaking to Jewish leaders in Philadelphia, Obama reiterated his support for Israel, stating Hamas is a terror organization and until they renounce terrorism and recognizes Israel’s right to exist, meeting with its leaders is unacceptable.

In January of 2007, Carter apologized to a US Jewish audience over a passage in his controversial book ‘Peace Not Apartheid.’ “Asked if he was justifying terrorism in a passage in the book calling on Palestinians to cease terrorist attacks if the Israelis agree to abide by international law, Carter said, ‘That sentence was worded in a completely improper and stupid way. I apologize to everyone here. Throughout the rest of the book I call on all Palestinians and Israelis to terminate violence against civilians.’ He promised subsequent editions would be changed,” the Jewish Week had said in a report.

LINK to complete letter on the JTA website.

(Dov Gordon – YWN)