Carter defends his decision to meet with Hamas

Jimmy on meeting with Hamas:

WASHINGTON — Former President Jimmy Carter said
he feels "quite at ease" about meeting Hamas militants over
the objections of Washington because the Palestinian group
is essential to a future peace with Israel.

Speaking from Katmandu, Nepal, where he and a team of
observers from the Carter Center monitored national elections,
Carter said the U.S. and other parties should not require
"pre-requisites" before meeting with the terror group. Hamas
has not renounced violence, regularly bombs Israeli towns near
its stronghold of Gaza and refuses to recognize Israel's existence.

"Well, you can't always get prerequisites adopted by other people
before you even talk to them," Carter said in an interview taped
Saturday but aired Sunday on ABC News' "This Week."

"I feel quite at ease in doing this," he said. "I think there's no
doubt in anyone's mind that, if Israel is ever going to find
peace with justice concerning the relationship with their
next-door neighbors, the Palestinians, that Hamas will have
to be included in the process."

Here is the video.

Update: Carter's “activities over the last few years had caused great
damage to Israel and the peace process," says Shimon Peres, President of Israel.