Jimmy Carter o Bližnjem Vzhodu

| 2. August 2006 | | Jure

Nekdanji ameriški predsednik Jimmy Carter je za The Washington Post napisal odličen članek, v katerem predstavi svoje poglede na vojno v Izraelu in načrte za doseganje trajnega miru v regiji. Carter tako sodi med redke ameriške politike, ki ne delijo navdušenja nad izraelskim početjem. Če vemo, da je podpora ameriške politične elite izraelski “samoobrambi” skoraj soglasna, saj na tem področju ni nobene razlike med Republikanci in Demokrati, je Carterjevo dejanje še posebej vredno zanimanja. Sploh v okolju, kjer ti kritika izraelske politike hitro prinese obtožbe, da si sovražnik Izraela ali še kaj hujšega.

It is inarguable that Israel has a right to defend itself against attacks on its citizens, but it is inhumane and counterproductive to punish civilian populations in the illogical hope that somehow they will blame Hamas and Hezbollah for provoking the devastating response. The result instead has been that broad Arab and worldwide support has been rallied for these groups, while condemnation of both Israel and the United States has intensified.

Israel belatedly announced, but did not carry out, a two-day cessation in bombing Lebanon, responding to the global condemnation of an air attack on the Lebanese village of Qana, where 57 civilians were killed this past weekend and where 106 died from the same cause 10 years ago. As before there were expressions of “deep regret,” a promise of “immediate investigation” and the explanation that dropped leaflets had warned families in the region to leave their homes. The urgent need in Lebanon is that Israeli attacks stop, the nation’s regular military forces control the southern region, Hezbollah cease as a separate fighting force, and future attacks against Israel be prevented. Israel should withdraw from all Lebanese territory, including Shebaa Farms, and release the Lebanese prisoners. Yet yesterday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected a cease-fire. Več