Today the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, spoke to Brandeis students and faculty about his new book "Palestine: Peace, not Apartheid", which had been seen as a controversial account of Palestinian-Israeli relations.



The very fact that President Carter did come to Brandeis, a primarily American-Jewish university (even if a really good one), is important. At the beginning of his speach Carter - probably joking, but who knows - said that this was the second most exciting invitation to speak he has got in his life, the first one being when he was elected as President. And, he added, also the second most covered by the media. If Brandeis had not accepted him, it would have been a huge scandal, it even was already one in the articles published by "The Boston Globe" that revealed the divisions within Brandeis community between conservative administration, dependent on the Jewish sponsors, and its faculty and students. Therefore, this invitation, organized by student and faculty committee, not the administration (Brandeis president Jehuda Reinhartz did not attend the event at all), is a historical event for this university and also significant for the dialogue on the Middle East in the United States in general.

The gymnasium was full of students, the rest, who did not manage to get tickets to the event, had to remain outside with the banners either supporting or protesting. Well, what did he say? Carter's talk was really good, but even better were his answers to rather radical and straightforward questions by the students, one of them our Simon Puetzstueck from Bonn. The main ideas are clear... In order to reach peace in the Middle East Israel has to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories. The wall, which, as some student mentioned, "has proved to be successful means of countering terrorism as suicide attacks have decreased by 95 percent", would not be objected to by the international community and human rights organizations if it was on the so-called 'green line', but it does go deep into Palestinian lands, therefore, is not a border, is not justified at all. Moreover, America should not act unilaterally in the peace process, it must work together with the European Union, Russia and Israeli and Palestinian authorities, the latter represented by Abbas as the leader of all Palestinians. He also recalled the aftermath of Camp David accords and Oslo in 1993 and stated that it was Israel's fault that peace has not been reached until now since it never complied to the agreements written in black on white.



Reacting to some objecting questions twice Carter suggested to form a group of students and professors and just go and see for ourselves what the situation in the West Bank is. Palestinians are enclaved, banned from roads that are connecting the Izraeli settlements, deprived of basic human rights. There was some tone of teaching or educating in his speech. For example several times he repeated that the Jewish religion is based on the strive for justice and righteousness. And even refered to Brandeis as an institution named in honor of Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis. He believed, or maybe chose to believe, that students can understand what is just and what is unjust. And many times supported his statements with statistics, according to which both Izraelis and Palestinians more or less agree with peace accords, however, it is the radical forces that are to be blamed for violating them.

It really felt so good to listen to someone, who, even if he hasn't achieved a lot during his years in presidency, has enough experience to talk about the subject as well as does not lack intelligence and courage to talk openly. Surely, after some strong remarks the President was interrupted by loud applause, although it was clear that not all of Brandeis community agreed to what he was saying and quite a lot of them remained silent. Since morning the campaign againts his position was all over campus... dozens, if not hundreds, of white papers posted all over the place called for wearing "the star" or "the cross" as marks of identification and protest and continuously asked the question: "What is the only state in the Middle East that allows freedom of press?" The answer was written underneath: "Israel". However, Carter understood that his visit is a move forward for Brandeis as it legitimizes discussions on the subject which in many cases is forbidden. And, furthermore, he did talk honestly... "He is a good man", later said Simon. Just a good man and during his years in the White House too many abused this knowledge. In the question-answer session he even appologized for a sentence in his book that says that the suicide attacks should stop AFTER Israel recognized full Palestinian sovereignty and assured that in new editions this mistake will not be repeated. And, being as kind as he seemed, he promised to answer the rest of the questions, for which he did not have time, by e-mail:)



Since the initial idea of Brandeis administration had been to organize a debate between Carter and Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, who is the most fierce critic of the book, but Carter did not agree, after the President left, Dershowitz did come to speak in the same place, even though for a slightly different audience. To deny everything and build up strong support and belief in Israel's politics. But who cares now? During his speech Carter said that Brandeis students do not need some Harvard professor to tell them what is right. And this sentence was welcomed with extremely loud applause. Probably the thought is immature, but maybe peace in the Middle East lies within the hands of young people like these, who have come from serving years in the Izraeli army, but are are so understanding and open for dialogue. Although not all are... Oh, what an interesting, complicated, but promising place Brandeis is!