14 Jimmy Carter Center Advisors Resign Due to Concerns Over Book

Palestine: Peace not Apartheid, former President Jimmy Carter's controversial book about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has prompted the resignations of 14 people from an advisory board of the Carter Center, the 25-year-old Atlanta-based humanitarian organization.

The center's Board of Councilors consists of community leaders and business people who meet each quarter to discuss the work of the center. They are not involved in the daily activities of the center and are not a governing board. Their primary purpose is to represent the mission of the center to the greater community.

Carter's stance and opinions about the Mideast, both in his book and in various speaking engagements, have resulted in much criticism of the former president by prominent members of the U.S. Jewish community. The uproar is what led to the members’ resignations.

In letters sent Thursday to fellow Board of Councilors members and Carter, the 14 resigning members explained their concerns. "We can no longer endorse your strident and uncompromising position," the letter to Carter said. "This is not the Carter Center or the Jimmy Carter we came to respect and support." The letter added that although each of the 14 members was proud to have been associated with the center and its work, they all agreed that they could "no longer in good conscience continue to serve the center as members of the Board of Councilors"

Carter was also accused of not staying true to his "historic role of broker" and said that instead he had chosen to become "an advocate for one side." According to the letter, the members who resigned believe that Carter's book blurs the line between facts and opinions, and his writings make it clear to them that he is more interested in partisan advocacy than he is in working toward achieving positive changes in the Middle East.

"Israelis, through deed and public comment, have consistently spoken of a desire to live in peace and make territorial compromise to achieve this status," the letter said. "The Palestinian side has consistently resorted to acts of terror as a national expression and elected parties endorsing the use of terror, the rejection of territorial compromise and of Israel's right to exist. Palestinian leaders have had chances since 1947 to have their own state, including during your own presidency when they snubbed your efforts."

The letter to the other members of the Board of Councilors was much briefer and to the point, saying only, "We are deeply troubled by the president's comments and writings and are submitting the following letter of resignation to the Carter Center."

The initial response of the center to the member’s resignations did not address their specific concerns, and instead merely thanked the members for their "years of service and support for The Carter Center in advancing peace and health around the world."