ATLANTA (WJC)–Former US President Jimmy Carter has asked the Jewish community for forgiveness for any offense he may have caused when criticizing Israel. In a letter release by the news agency JTA, Carter sent season’s greeting and wished peace between Israel and its neighbors.
He concluded: “We must recognize Israel’s achievements under difficult circumstances, even as we strive in a positive way to help Israel continue to improve its relations with its Arab populations, but we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel. As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so.”
“Al Het” refers to the Yom Kippur prayer asking God forgiveness for sins committed against God. In modern Hebrew it refers to any plea for forgiveness. Carter has angered some US Jews in recent years with writings and statements that place the burden of peacemaking on Israel, that likened Israel’s settlement policies to apartheid, and that blamed the Israel lobby for inhibiting an even-handed US foreign policy. Earlier this year, Carter met with Hamas leaders in Damascus.
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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress