President Carter promotes Mideast peace in new book
Jessica Smith
President Jimmy Carter drew a crowd at Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe, where he stopped to sign 1,600 copies of his latest book, “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” on Feb. 13.The former president gave a brief speech at the beginning of the event describing his hope for a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“Many people think I’m overly optimistic, but I’m not,” Carter said.
“The bottom line is that the Israelis want peace, the Palestinians want peace, the Lebanese want peace, the Syrians want peace. And if we can just give them a chance I think they’ll find it,” the former President added.
The first copy of “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land” was delivered to President Barack Obama, of whom former president Carter spoke very highly of.
“We’ve got a great President now who will start working on the Mid East peace process the first thing he’s in office,” he said.
The former president also confessed that every member of his family had voted for President Barack Obama in both the Primaries and General Election, throwing out the disclaimer, “I know these things are supposed to be secret, but…”
Additionally he expressed his confidence in the capabilities of George Mitchell, US special envoy to the Middle East, to facilitate the peace process.
“He’s made the best appointment as a peace envoy that he could find in the United States of America. Former Senator George Mitchell. Mitchell performed a miracle when he brought peace to Ireland. He’s going to take a balanced an equal position over there, which is necessary for peace.”
President Jimmy Carter, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Price in 2002 for his ongoing leadership in the peace process in the Middle East, also founded the Carter Center in 1982, which is dedicated to advancing human rights, global health and alleviating human suffering.
“We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land” accounts for the failures of past peace efforts, and maps out a new and comprehensive plan for peaceful resolution to conflict in the Middle East.
“I hope you’ll enjoy reading the book and will join me in promoting peace in the Holy Land,” Carter said.
