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RAMALLAH, West Bank-Former President Jimmy Carter today warmly embraced a top Hamas terrorist and laid a wreath on the gravesite of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, whom Carter called a "peace fighter" and a "dear friend," according to Palestinian officials speaking to WND.Visiting the West Bank city of Ramallah, Carter attended a reception with Nasser Shaer, a senior Hamas leader. The reception was closed to the media, but according to participants and the Hamas leader, Carter hugged Shaer and kissed him on each cheek, the customary greeting for good friends. Many U.S. diplomats refrain from kissing Palestinian officials."He gave me a hug. We hugged each other, and it was a warm reception," Shaer told the Associated Press. "Carter asked what he can do to achieve peace between the Palestinians and Israel ... and I told him the possibility for peace is high."Shaer previously served as deputy prime minister and education minister in the Hamas-led Palestinian government, which was toppled last year. He served time in Israeli prison after being charged with terrorist activities.According to Israeli security officials, Shaer functioned as a financial and communications link between cells of the Hamas organization in Gaza and in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.Prior to embracing Shaer, Carter met with officials from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization at the Muqata, the main Fatah headquarters.Carter paid a visit to the gravesite of Arafat, who is buried just outside the Muqata. Palestinian officials who escorted Carter told WND the former president paused for a moment of silence at Arafat's grave before laying a wreathe there.The Palestinian officials quoted Carter stating Arafat was a "peace fighter and a dear friend of mine."They also quoted Carter calling Arafat a "partner in representing the question of justice in the world."The officials said Carter repeatedly accused Israel of not implementing its side of agreements that called on the Jewish state to ease travel restrictions for Palestinians and to dismantle what are termed illegal outposts, or West Bank Jewish communities constructed without governmental permission.Israel earlier this month dismantled 50 anti-terror roadblocks as a gesture to Abbas. The Israeli-Palestinian agreements also called for an end of Palestinian terrorism, but more than 100 incidents of terrorism have been carried out in the past 45 days alone, security officials pointed out.Tayeb Abdel Rahim, Abbas' secretary general, told Carter that Arafat's burial site in Ramallah was only temporary until his remains can be transferred to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Palestinian officials told WND.In the years before his death in 2004, Israel and the U.S. attempted to isolate Arafat after he turned down a peace agreement in 2000 at U.S.-mediated peace talks at Camp David and, instead, returned to Ramallah to launch an intifada – or terrorist war – against the Jewish state.Carter told reporters today he had requested permission to enter the Gaza Strip from Israel but was turned down.He said he may meet with other Hamas leaders while visiting Syria later this week.According to Hamas officials, Carter is slated to meet with Hamas chieftain Khaled Meshaal, who resides in Syria.In a WND exclusive interview yesterday, Ahmed Yousuf, Hamas' top political adviser in the Gaza Strip, called Carter a "noble person" whose planned meeting with Hamas would help the terror organization "engage with the world community.""Carter can achieve something no one else can. He is open-minded and has a very noble cause to come and meet with all people," said Yousuf, the chief political adviser to Ismail Haniyeh, the deposed prime minister of the Hamas-led Palestinian government.Yousuf, the Hamas figure usually responsible for coordinating meetings with foreign officials, said Carter "should get credit because he is the one who really understands the (Israeli-Palestinian) conflict and knows what is needed to achieve peace."He indicated Carter's visit could help end Hamas' international isolation."If he comes and meets Hamas, this will also enhance the image and understanding between America and the Muslim world," said Yousuf, speaking by phone from Gaza. "Carter's visit is a good step and a positive step in the right direction. It would engage with the world community. To what degree he succeeds depends on the people in Europe and the U.S."Yousuf blasted the Bush administration for "trying to block every attempt to lift sanctions against Hamas."He accused "Zionists" and U.S. Jewish groups of "trying to sabotage" Carter's Middle East trip. "Some reports said American Jewish groups tried to stigmatize him with being connected to terrorism or working against Jewish ambitions at home," Yousef said.Asked if he believed Democrats would engage Hamas if the party takes the White House next year, Yousuf replied, "I do believe Democrats will make a drastic change in American foreign policy. I hope they are able to fix the damage done by [President] Bush and the Republicans and engage again in a very positive way with the Arab and Muslim world, where most of their vital interests lie."As in the days of Noah...
