Israel’s President & Prime Minster Blow Off Jimmy Carter, Want Nothing to Do with Him

Israel’s top two leaders reject request to meet with former US president Carter on grounds of his ‘anti-Israel’ position during last summer’s conflict, ‘Operation Protective Edge’ with Gaza.

By i24news

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin rejected a request from former US President Jimmy Carter to meet with him during a planned trip to Israel, Haaretz reported Monday.

Former US President Jimmy Carter speaks to the media on April 10, 2013 in New York City – Photo: Mario Tama/AFP

A senior official told the Israeli daily that the Foreign Ministry recommended that the Israeli leaders not meet with Carter because of his “anti-Israeli stance” over the last few years.

The National Security Council of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry held inner consultations on the matter and decided to advise Rivlin and Netanyahu to refuse to meet the US president.

At this stage there has been no response from Carter as to whether he will cancel his visit in light of Netanyahu and Rivlin’s refusal to meet with him.

One of the main reasons for the refusal to meet Carter is because of his stance during the war in Gaza last summer, the official said, according to Ha’aretz.

While rockets were being fired at Israeli targets on a daily basis during the bloody conflict with Hamas, Carter called to remove Hamas from the American State Department’s list of terror organizations.

The former US president had requested to visit Gaza during his visit to the region, a request that Israel had approved, the official said.

 

View original i24news publication at: http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/68446-150420-netanyahu-rivlin-refuse-to-meet-jimmy-carter-during-trip-to-israel