Carter Meets With Former Hamas Minister

Jimmy Carter traveled to the West Bank today to meet a former Hamas minister, ignoring strenuous objections by Israeli leaders. Carter also laid a wreath on Yasser Arafat’s tomb, a customary gesture of respect President Bush pointedly avoided on his last visit, Reuters reports.

“I'm just trying to understand different opinions and communicate ... between people who won't communicate with each other,” Carter said. He said he wasn’t given permission to visit Hamas-controlled Gaza—the Nobel laureate did not indicate that Israel refused his request, but a member of his party confirmed it. (More Jimmy Carter stories.)