Jimmy Carter on Benjamin Netanyahu

Jimmy Carter has expressed a strong, negative assessment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, directly linking his leadership to the impossibility of achieving a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The former President stated clearly that he does not believe Netanyahu wants peace and, in his view, the Israeli government under Netanyahu adopted a one-state solution approach early on, specifically by continuing control over the West Bank. This stance, Carter argued, inherently denies equal rights to Palestinians living under occupation, a situation he has previously likened to apartheid in his writings. He also implied a lack of a trusted mediator in the current dynamic.

Carter, who famously brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Menachem Begin, contrasted the leadership styles, noting that while he admired Begin's courage in making concessions, he found Netanyahu constrained by his own deep beliefs and political alliances that make necessary compromises difficult. The former President suggested that Netanyahu's actions in continuing to expand settlements were contrary to expectations set during prior peace efforts. Furthermore, Israeli leaders have, in response to Carter's long-standing critical stance on Israeli policy, declined to meet with him during his visits.