Ramallah, 14/07/2008: Former US president Jimmy Carter, who arrived yesterday in Jerusalem, will visit the Middle East for a week, including the occupied East Jerusalem and West Bank. Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, declared that “Jimmy Carter is welcomed in the region by all the Palestinians. The Israeli occupation of Palestine has now evolved into a full-fledged Apartheid against all Palestinians. We trust Mr Carter to continue to courageously report the truth.”
Dr. Barghouthi added that real peace negotiations need to involve all parties, and welcomed Jimmy Carter’s decision to meet with everyone without exception. Dr. Barghouthi concluded that “Israel has made the tragic choice of refusing peace in favor of Apartheid. Internationally respected figures like Jimmy Carter are needed to help explain to the Israeli public the folly of their leadership.”