U.S. 39th President Jimmy Carter engaged in controversy with other former President Bill Clinton criticizing his notorious comments that Russian immigrants to Israel were an obstacle to the Middle East peace process.
In September Clinton told a round table with reporters in New York that the children of Russian immigrants made up an increasing proportion of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and so forcibly removing settlers from the West Bank as part of a peace deal may prove difficult.
Clinton "should not have said" this, Carter who is currently in Israel told Israeli Russians. "I've known the Russian Jews in Israel for almost 40 years...I know that as much as anyone in Israel, perhaps more on an average, the Russian Jews that live here want to see peace."
"They want to see Israel recognized as all nations on earth, as a nation to live without threat," Carter added.
"So he [Clinton] made a mistake. I'm sure if he had a chance to meet with you he would say he misspoke," Carter concluded.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed regret over U.S. ex-president Bill Clinton's comments. "As an old friend of Israel, Clinton must know that immigrants from the former Soviet Union have made a huge contribution to the strengthening and development of Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)," he told local media.
Carter has repeatedly criticized Israel's position in Middle East settlement. He calls on Israel to call off the blockade of the Gaza Strip, halt settlement activity and bring the Hamas movement into talks.
TEL AVIV, October 24 (RIA Novosti)
