Palestine Press Agency quotes a Hamas official giving more details of what Jimmy Carter told them during his visit.
Hamas parliamentary spokesman Salah al-Bardawil quoted former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, during his visit to the Gaza Strip recently, as saying to Hamas:"Help us to help Obama to overcome the Zionist lobby.... What can you do to help Mitchell, and even help Obama, so that everyone can make the policy change to the terms that the "Quartet" demands ofthe Palestinian people?!"
He added that Carter said, "Mitchell is waiting on pins and needles, and if did not receive this letter [I assume to accept a Palestinian Arab state in the territories, not recognizing Israel, and accepting the Arab peace initiative - EoZ], I think that your fate will be very, very difficult, and even if elections have taken place so you will not be allowed entry [accepted as legitimate] .. I am so sad .. I do not want this, but the decision is not in my hands."
The next paragraph is not so clear; I will reproduce the autotranslated version and my interpretation:
Bardawil stressed that "the game is clear: Obama launched .. .. Netanyahu invest Carter plays in relationships and networking to take advantage of direct reactions in practice."
"The game is clear: Obama sent Carter to make judgments directly from Netanyahu and others' reactions to trial balloons."
Baradawil continued, "Carter does not come to the area by chance, as a man without a decision ... Carter was certainly under orders from Obama personally; because Obama was Carter's pupil, and Mitchell was his student as well."
Just as a reminder, the Quartet conditions that evidently have Carter so steamed are that Hamas should oppose violence, accept Israel's existence and honor past agreements. Apparently Carter has problems with all three.
