Ex-president tours rocket-hit town, draws ire over planned Hamas meeting
MSNBC News Services
updated 12:22 p.m. CT, Mon., April. 14, 2008
JERUSALEM – Israel’s secret service has declined to assist U.S. agents guarding former U.S. President Jimmy Carter during a visit in which Israeli leaders have shunned him, U.S. sources told Reuters on Monday.
Meantime, the ex-president toured a rocket-battered Israeli town, saying he deplored Palestinian militant attacks on Israel.
Carter angered the Israeli government with plans to meet Hamas’ top leader, Khaled Mashaal, in Syria, and for describing Israeli policy in the occupied Palestinian territories as “a system of apartheid” in a 2006 book.
Speaking at an event organized by an Israeli financial newspaper, Carter said Monday that he wanted to become a “communicator” between Hamas and the U.S.
“I hope then the Israeli government will deign to meet with me — they have so far refused,” he said.