Daily Alert Archives

Don't Play with Maps

[New York Times] Dennis Ross - Former President Jimmy Carter's recent book badly misrepresents the Middle East proposals advanced by President Bill Clinton in 2000. Carter juxtaposes two maps labeled the "Palestinian Interpretation of Clinton's Proposal 2000" and "Israeli Interpretation of Clinton's Proposal 2000." The problem is that the "Palestinian interpretation" is actually taken from an Israeli map presented during the Camp David summit meeting in July 2000, while the "Israeli interpretation" is an approximation of what President Clinton subsequently proposed in December of that year. The Clinton proposals in December 2000 were American ideas, and I was the principal author of them. I know what they were and so do the parties. It is certainly legitimate to debate whether President Clinton's proposal could have settled the conflict. It is not legitimate, however, to rewrite history and misrepresent what the Clinton ideas were. The writer, envoy to the Middle East in the Clinton administration, is counselor of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
2007-01-09 01:00:00
Full Article