Ex-Presidents Carter, Bush Wrong on Middle East
Listed in: Israel, Other Foreign Policy, NJDC News, Press Releases
Washington, DC: In a break with the traditional practice of former presidents largely avoiding involvement in current US foreign policy, two former presidents have recently waded into America's policy towards the Middle East. In an interview, President Carter recently expressed his support for an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and for American policy towards that end. According to Wednesday's Washington Post, "He was also critical of [President George W.] Bush for not calling for the removal of Israeli settlements on the West Bank. 'George Sr. took a strong position on that issue, and so did I,' Carter said." Regarding former President Bush, the Washington Post reported on July 16, "Former president George Bush called Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah last month to assure him of his son's good intentions toward the Middle East, the second time in recent months the president's father intervened in a sensitive foreign policy area." The article explained that to address strained US-Saudi relations caused by the Saudi leader's concern that "the administration was too close to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon," former President Bush told Crown Prince Abdullah that his son's "heart is in the right place" and that he is "going to do the right thing."
"President Carter does much good work these days, including his inspiring efforts on behalf of Habitat for Humanity. And in many ways, he has been a model for all ex-presidents to follow," said NJDC Executive Director Ira N. Forman. "However, when he delves into a policy arena where we feel that he is totally wrong - such as US policy towards Israel - we feel we have an obligation to respectfully speak out and express our strong disagreement. Former President Bush's conversations with the Saudi leadership mark another instance where we must disagree with the actions of an ex-president regarding Middle East policy. President George H. W. Bush's assurances to the Saudis of his son's 'good intentions' - strongly implying that he is not too pro-Israel - sends the wrong message, because there are too many in the Arab world who use any sign of weakness in the US-Israel relationship as a justification for hardening their opposition to the Jewish state."
