Carter says Gaza Palestinians treated like animals

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GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are being "treated more like animals than human beings," former U.S. president Jimmy Carter said on Tuesday.

On a visit to the enclave, he condemned Israel's January bombardment of Gaza and its continuing trade blockade, which he said forbids even children's toys.

"I understand that even paper and crayons are treated as a security hazard," he told Gazans at a local United Nations office. "I sought an explanation of this when I met with Israeli officials and I received none, because there is no explanation."

Carter, 84, has spent far more years as a human rights activist than he did in the White House from 1977 to 1981. He is easily the most outspoken former U.S. president on the Middle East conflict, and seen by many Israelis as a harsh critic.

He ignored a U.S. government ban on dealings with Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas and had talks with its leaders.

Israel tightened a blockade on Gaza in 2007 when Hamas took control after routing rival Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas, who favors a peace deal with Israel. In late December, Israeli forces bombed then invaded Gaza, devastating its already battered infrastructure.

Since then, Israel has blocked imports of steel, cement and other goods to the population of 1.5 million Palestinians, saying Hamas could use many items for military purposes.

Carter, a Democrat, said he had seen for himself there had been almost no reconstruction in Gaza over the past five months.

"Never before in history has a large community like this been savaged by bombs and missiles and then been deprived of the means to repair itself," he said.

(Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Douglas Hamilton and Janet Lawrence)
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Carter must of forgotten how the Indians was treated. And I don't think the Nazis helped the Jews rebuild. And look what is happening in the Sudan.

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Palestinian sources claimed Tuesday that former US president Jimmy Carter was the target of a thwarted assassination attempt while visiting the Gaza Strip, news agencies reported.

According to the report, a range of explosive devices had been stashed near a road he was scheduled to travel on during his trip.

The Jerusalem Post could not verify the report. But later Tuesday the IDF assessment also said the cluster of explosives was aimed at Carter. Earlier, Carter had been quoted as saying he was holding back tears when surveying the "deliberate destruction" in Gaza following Israel's Operation Cast Lead earlier this year, Israel Radio reported.

Carter said that it was distressing to see the devastation in Gaza but also to see Kassams falling on Sderot.

The way to stop this is through dialogue and peace, Carter told reporters.

Carter met with Hamas leaders including Ismail Haniyeh. Prior to the meeting, he said he would try to persuade them to accept the international community's conditions for ending its boycott of the group. Carter added that after his talks in Gaza, he will meet with officials in the Obama administration.

Carter moved onto Tel Aviv to meet with the parents of IDF soldier Gilad Schalit. He is expected to deliver a letter by them to Hamas.

On Tuesday morning, top Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said his movement would consider giving Schalit a letter delivered by Carter.

Zahar told Israel Radio on Tuesday that if Israel wanted to end the Schalit saga, it should free all the prisoners Hamas was demanding.

Zahar said that Egypt was yet to invite the group to resume indirect talks over securing Schalit's release, adding that the previous negotiations were halted due to Israel's insistence on not freeing prisoners from east Jerusalem and the Arab-Israeli sector.

He claimed Israel was not interested in reaching a prisoner swap deal, but rather wanted to get information on Schalit's whereabouts in order to try and free him in a military operation.

Zahar criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's policy speech delivered Sunday, saying that he set impossible conditions for the Palestinians - to give up on the right of return and Jerusalem.
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That would be wonderful if he could do it. But I think its a pie in the sky dream. Clinton done a much better job in M.E., Carter must be jealous.