I have that funny feeling that president carter whom I regard as a very honest, straightforward leader, does not realise what he is up against.
It is not that Hamas has to recognise Israel.
Israel will never agree to any peace plan that will include any substential evacuation of settlers.
As long as the mr.Bush who is considered a moron by his own people continues to occupy the oval office and give Israel carte-blanche to murder palestinians on a daily basis,rob their land and do everything imaginable to undermine the so called peace process no good is going to come out.

anonymous at 10:54 is right on the money. I just watched Jim Clancy grow a set and ask Dennis Ross some questions never before heard on any US teevee network such as saying that Hamas actually exists and that Israel has been attacking Gaza.

Mr Clancy will probably soon see early retirement because of his brashness.

It is so sad that Carter has become so stupid and naive (unless he is not stupid and has been bought by the Arab money which flows to him). He tells us that Hamas wants peace and five minutes later the Hamas leader says explicitly that they want to completely destroy Israel (an intention known all over the Middle East simply as "right of return") and that he will never recognize Israel. He also will continue to shell Israeli civilians, but this time from within Jerusalem. And the old, perhaps senile, perhaps corrupt, perhaps both, Jimmy Carter calls this "ready for peace". Worse, CNN repeats this folly in a headline, without explaining what it means.

Five minutes after the "honest and wise Carter" made his pro-Hamas statement about the Hamas acceptance of some kind of peace, the Hamas leader corrected him and reminded us that their kind of peace includes the "Right of Return" (standard Middle East code word for a total destruction of Israel by flooding it with millions of great grandchildren of the alleged 1948 "refugees"). He also reminded us that they will never agree to the existence of Israel. The Hamas statement is expected and normal, but what is Carter doing there? Lying? Failing to understand a simple statement? Is he naive? Foolish? Too old? Deliberately helping the terrorists? All of the above? He used to be considered a failed president but an honest and clever person. You cannot be honest or clever and fall so naively into the childish traps of these terrorists. Can anyone explain this? Is his haterd to the Jewish state getting control of his senses?

in answer to 3.1pm.in saying the alleged 1948 refugees is telling us something about the mentality of Zionists.and you wonder why there is no peace in Palestine.for Israel to live in peace Palestinian refugees have to return to their homes. these are the actual owners of that land you can not uproot a people from their land and call them alleged refugees.both Jews and Palestinians can live in historical Palestine that is if Jews have learned the lessons of History.

All those that are truly interested in peace as opposed to posturing will welcome President Carter's brave and bold decision.
Carter remains a beckon of light from an increasingly removed and resented USA - Americans should be very proud of him!

Andre de Villiers
Cape Town - South Africa

Carter is doing the right thing by hoding talks with Hamas because it is clear that they are the elected reps of the Palestinians and must, along with Syria, be part of any comprehensive peace plan.

The foolish thing to do is exclude them. Doing so is almost tantamount to telling Palestinians that we do not care for their vote? Is that the new American hypocritical version of democracy?

Vincent Okwechime
Nigeria

This is a brave and courageous initiative of a respected world leader that should be welcomed by everyone as it focuses on the heart of the problem ... Palestinian talks with democratically elected leaders of Palestinian people. The US and Israel should have the heart to bring peace to the world by first resolving Palestinian problem.

Ex-president Carter speaking to Hamas? Irresponsible and totally inappropriate.

The only thing that Jimmy Carter is doing at the moment is using the troubles in the Middle East as a form of self-aggrandizement. He represents no interests but his own and does not have either the authority or even the backbone to insist that Hamas end terrorism in place of a legitimate and honest dialogue for peace. Until Hamas or any Palestinian entity recognizes Israel's right to exist, there will not and cannot be peace in the region.

Daniel Kaufman
Los Angeles, California

I think that Carter is the best statesman we've had in my lifetime and I totally approve of his going to the Middle East. It's about time that someone tried to do something in this land of war crimes, brutality, human rights abuse and international injustice! We should be ashamed of ourselves. Yours sincerely Cecile H. Newman

America's refusal to engage with Hamas is one of the most blatant hypocrisies of their Middle Eastern adventure. They claim to bring democracy to the Middle East by invading Iraq, and yet when grassroots, organically grown democracy stares them in the face, they refuse to acknowledge it. And Hamas is no more a terrorist organisation than Israel, the difference between them is that Hama's terrorism is considered legal under the 4th Geneva convention -- as armed resistance to illegal occupation, while Israel's violates countless international laws.

Sincerely,

Kirkland Newman, London

Why is it that Jimmy Carter can talk to terrorist organizations freely? If any other normal American citizen went over to the Middle-East and talked to the leaders of Syria and Hamas, we would be interrogated severly (and rightfully so) at Guantanamo Bay for weeks!!!!!!

12.39, personally I can't wait to see Jim Clancy take early retirement. You obviously love his blatant bias but I believe he is a very poor journalist who deserves no place on an international news network.

When you have a President who does not understand foreign policy, and a Vice President who is a bigot, it is time for this old Georgia Christian politician to step forth and negotiate with the two opposing factions. Jimmy Carter is just continuing his prior mission between Israel and Hamas, and there is nothing wrong with his continuing to try to resolve some issues between the two factions. I wholeheartedly support his efforts.