Carter Gets Cool Reception in Israel
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JERUSALEM — President Carter brokered the first Israeli-Arab peace deal, but he’s getting a cool reception in Israel during his latest visit to the Mideast.
Israeli leaders are shunning the globe-trotting peacemaker for planning to meet with the head of Israel’s archenemy Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, and comparing the Jewish state’s policies to apartheid. A schedule released by the Atlanta-based Carter Center showed no plans for Mr. Carter to meet any of Israel’s key players: Prime Minister Olmert, the foreign minister, Tzipi livni, or the defense minister, Ehud Barak, during this week’s visit, which began yesterday.
The only high-ranking official on Mr. Carter’s schedule was Israel’s ceremonial head of state, President Peres. Mr. Carter, 83, held a closed meeting with Mr. Peres shortly after arriving yesterday. A senior Israeli official said “scheduling problems” was the official reason given for the high-profile snub — even though Mr. Olmert recently took time to chat with “Prison Break” star Wentworth Miller.
