Jimmy Carter’s terminal illness reignited a long-standing controversy surrounding accusations of antisemitism levied against him following the 2006 publication of his book, *Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid*. The book, which likened the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories to South African apartheid, drew fierce condemnation from prominent pro-Israel figures in the United States. Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League labeled Carter a “bigot,” while Deborah Lipstadt, now the Biden administration’s special envoy against antisemitism, accused him of having a “Jewish problem.” Alan Dershowitz went so far as to suggest Carter intentionally sought to offend Israelis and Jews. Pro-Israel groups ran advertisements in the *New York Times*, accusing Carter of aiding those who sought Israel’s destruction and claiming he was driven by anti-Israel animus. Many directly called him an antisemite.
However, nearly two decades later, Carter’s assessment appears increasingly prescient. Leading Israeli politicians and major human rights organizations now similarly accuse Israel of imposing a form of apartheid on Palestinians, violating international law. News of Carter’s entry into hospice care prompted calls for apologies from his previous critics, with at least one, Steve Berman, a former member of the Carter Center’s board of councillors who had led a mass resignation in 2006, admitting he was wrong and apologizing to Carter for his past accusations. Berman stated that he had come to see Israel’s occupation not as an accident but as a colonial enterprise.
This sentiment was echoed by Peter Beinart, described as “the most influential liberal Zionist of his generation,” who called for an apology from Carter’s critics for their “shameful” treatment of the former president. Beinart specifically named Foxman and Lipstadt among those who had attacked and slandered Carter, despite his role in brokering the Camp David Accords. Kai Bird, author of a Carter biography, similarly called the antisemitism accusations an “outrage,” arguing that they stemmed from Carter being the first president to advocate for a Palestinian homeland and his pressure on Israel during peace talks with Egypt. Bird suggested the problem wasn’t Carter’s views on Jews, but rather the American Jewish establishment’s problem with Carter.
Carter’s critics included prominent figures within his own Democratic party, such as Nancy Pelosi, who stated that he did not speak for the party on Israel. The media also played a significant role in the criticism, with Martin Peretz of *The New Republic* calling Carter a “Jew-hater,” and Jeffrey Goldberg of the *Washington Post* accusing him of hostility towards Israel. Notably, both Carter and Beinart pointed out the overwhelming lack of Palestinian voices in the initial debate, with reviews and news articles largely dominated by pro-Israel perspectives. Carter himself maintained that the term “apartheid” accurately described the situation in Palestine.
Even after the Hamas attack in October 2023, the Carter Center’s call for a ceasefire, citing Carter’s 2002 Nobel Peace Prize speech, further angered some Israelis. The Center’s warning against collective punishment and the murder of civilians, however, seems particularly relevant given the subsequent indictments of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others for war crimes.