by Peter Fruchter, December 20, 2006

Jimmy Carter seems like a gentle man. Gentle as a wheeze. But the
response to his recent "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid" book
hasn't been. It's been anything but gentle. It's been outrage.

Some now say he's anti-semitic. Which is unwarranted, and worse -
irrelevant. The issues contested concern Israel - and Islamic
fundamentalism. Not Judaism. Not the Jewish - or Masonic or Templar
or Protestant - conspiracy. Not any more. Since the creation of
Israel, it's what goes on in the Middle-East getting voted most
likely to enflame Armageddon.

Carter is wrong, of course. That's clear the moment we concede
Israel's entitled to defend herself. Right? However defined,
apartheid is offensive - and thereby can't conceivably be practiced
in self-defence.