Former President Jimmy Carter believes that "Israel must stop building settlements in Palestinian territories if peace is ever to be achieved in the Middle East". The Israeli settlements in Palestine have been established by "...a determined minority of Israelis who desire to occupy and colonize east Jerusalem and the West Bank". Carter notes that all 22 Arab countries "...have offered diplomatic recognition and full trade and commerce...". if Israel would give up the occupied territories. He says the only solution to a "two state" arrangement would be a one nation in which Arabs would outnumber Israelis resulting in the "...end of the Jewish state or else an apartheid system..." with the majority population oppressed and denied equal rights. He made his comments at James Madison University while receiving an award for his humanitarian work. Carter has made a life-long concern of the Middle East problem since the Camp David Accords reached while he was president. (This, of course, is Carter's opinion. Some will disagree and some will dismiss it. He does, however, have some knowledge of the issue).
(Source: "James Madison center honors the Carter's efforts for peace" by Sue Lindsey of the AP. In The Virginian Pilot on 9/22/09).
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