New York, NY, December 2, 2003 …The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today criticized former United States President Jimmy Carter for distorting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by placing excessive blame on Israel, at the signing of the so-called Geneva Accord.   President Carter blamed President Bush for favoring Israel and allowing "Palestinians to suffer," saying "this is a source of anti-American sentiment in the world and encourages terror." 

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

Too often, President Carter focuses on Israel in pressing for concessions or assigning blame.  Jimmy Carter, who brought the first spark of peace to the Middle East, should know better than most the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and negotiations.  His comments in Geneva, including his seeming to equate Israeli settlements with Palestinian terrorism, are troubling and not helpful to the effort to advance real peace with security and a better quality of life for both Israelis and Palestinians. 

President Carter's comments accusing President Bush of "bias" in Israel's favor further politicize events surrounding the so-called Geneva Accord.  Is it "bias" that President Bush insists that in order to attain a state, the Palestinians must reform and democratize their government, must dismantle terrorist group, and put an end to hatred in schools and media? 

President Carter's comments also serve to underscore our concerns about the highly political nature of the Geneva Accord, whose authors are avidly seeking the involvement and encouragement of international figures, circumventing and undermining the democratically elected government of Israel.