Remembering Jimmy Carter: Former US President Who Insists On Israel-Palestinian Peace Must Involve Hamas

Jimmy Carter, who served as US President in the 1977-1981 era. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Jimmy Carter was once underestimated as President of the United States (US). He is considered to have failed to attract the people. His performance was also sanctioned to free the US from the economic recession. Luckily Carter is not the quick leader to give up.

Carter continues to fight that pessimism throughout his life. He showed his capacity in the international world of politics: maintain world peace. He dared to speak out about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He revealed Palestinian peace is useless if it does not involve Hamas.

Carter's appearance in the US political map surprised many people. However, not for his family. Carter is indeed blessed with having a family who pursues the agriculture business. This condition made Carter participate in business and succeed.

Later Carter chose to enter politics. Carter's path into politics was smooth. He was able to become a senator representing Georgia. He was then able to become governor of Georgia in 1970. This live act made his name appear in the high-level political contestation arena: the US Presidential Election.

The Democratic Party then proposed to become a presidential candidate in the 2017 US Presidential Election and succeeded. Carter then surprisingly emerged as US President. The people of the US are divided into two camps. The camp that believes Carter can help the US.

The other side was pessimistic about Carter. Carter's life was then criticized. Moreover, his speech when he was elected as US President. His speech was considered lifeless. He is considered unable to control inflation.

Carter tries to prove. He was able to reduce good legacy for the government. He became a leader who was good at using international politics to realize world peace. He became an important figure who reconciled Egypt and Israel in the Camp David agreement in 1978.

He was also involved in other peace problems. The act of life made him receive a lot of praise from the international world.

However, in her foreign policy, Carter has the greatest influence. Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger have created an opening to relations with China, but Carter has normalized US-Chinese relations. US control over the Panamanian Canal has long been a source of hatred and hostility across Latin America, sparking widespread political unrest.

The charter returned control of the canal to Panama and eased its boiling anti-US sentiment. Carter negotiated a Salt-II gun-cutting agreement with the Soviets (although not ratified by the Senate). However, the largest achievement of Carter's foreign policy was its negotiations regarding the Camp David agreement, which had not been violated for more than 40 years and eventually brought peace between Egypt and Israel," said Peter G. Bourne in his article on the page of The Guardian entitled Jimmy Carter wasn't just the Best Former President, He was the Most Successful (2024).

Carter's actions in keeping world peace never end. He does not have power like the number one person in the US. However, he was able to contribute from outside the government. He founded a foundation in 1982. Carter Center, his name.

Carter Center is the forum for contributing to world peace. He designed an agenda to defuse international conflicts. He acts like a reliable negotiator. He mediated in civil war conflicts in various countries.

Carter's move to realize world peace is not smooth. He has opposed the current US President several times. Take for example when it was George W. Bush who sought Israeli-Palestinian peace in 2008.

Bush presented the Minister of American Foreign Affairs, Condoleezza Rice, Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, and President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmud Abbas in a peace agreement. However, Carter considers peace to be nonsense when the US does not see the Palestinian release group, Hamas.

Hamas is considered Carter an important foundation of Palestinian nationalism that must be embraced. Without their presence peace would not have taken place. As a result, Carter left for Syria in 2008. His arrival to Syria was directly to meet Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.

The meeting angered Bush. Bush already considered Hamas a terrorist organization. He considered the meeting of Carter and Hamas leaders would actually obscure the ideals of peace. However, Carter considers wind alone. The US people actually sided with Carter. There is no peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without Hamas.

The Nobel Peace Prize recipient, admitted that he did not represent anyone. It also does not represent the Democrats who are fighting in the general election. What is clear is that Carter is deeply disturbed by a peace model that does not involve Hamas who won the majority victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.

The problem is, Israel and America refuse to meet someone who should be involved. Carter's reputation in reconciling conflicts throughout the universe is undeniable. Former Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, said that Carter is the only president who is able to lead a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt," explained Raihul Fadjri in his article in Tempo magazine entitled Jimmy Carter: Camp David II's dream (2008).