Posted by
J-GOP on Thursday, August 21, 2008 11:45:19 AM
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) today called on Sen. Barack Obama and the Democratic Party leadership to remove former President Jimmy Carter from the program at the Democratic National Convention. Yesterday it was announced that Carter is scheduled to speak at the Convention in Denver on Monday, August 25, 2008.
Through the years, President Carter has consistently demonstrated by his statements and actions a troubling anti-Israel bias.
In April 2008, despite strong protests by Israeli leaders, the U.S. State Department and several Democratic leaders, Carter met with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal in Syria.
In an August 2006 interview with Der Spiegel, Carter ignored Israel's right to defend its citizens and borders. Instead, Carter claimed Israel's attack was "unjustified" and that "Israel looks upon this as a justification for an attack on the civilian population of Lebanon and Gaza."
In 2006, Carter also published an error-filled, egregiously biased book entitled Palestine: Peace not Apartheid.
Carter said publicly that Israeli treatment of Palestinians is "one of the greatest human rights crimes on earth."
"Jimmy Carter's long history of anti-Israel bias has rendered him unfit to address the Democratic Convention. It is incumbent upon the Democratic Party leadership and Senator Obama to remove Carter from the program in Denver. The Democratic Party and Senator Obama's continued embrace of Carter and his anti-Israel bias sends a troubling message to the Jewish community. It stands in stark contrast to the GOP and John McCain's pro-Israel stance," said RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks. "Additionally, Senator Obama should reject Carter's superdelegate vote. The hand that shook Khaled Meshal's should not be allowed to rise in support of Senator Obama's candidacy for president."