In a recent development, The Carter Center, a human rights organization founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalyn Carter, has called for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group.
The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, prompting Israel to declare war on the group. Hamas has also requested a cease-fire, which critics argue would provide the group with an opportunity to regroup.
The Carter Center issued a statement saying, "This weekend, Israeli forces moved into Gaza and intensified their devastating attacks. Israel, like all nations, has a right to defend itself; it also has the obligation of proportionality under international law. Violence will only beget more violence.
The statement further urged all parties to agree to a cease-fire, the opening of humanitarian corridors into Gaza, and the reinstatement of essential services in the area. It also called for the immediate, safe return of all hostages and adherence to international law by both sides.
The organization condemned antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian sentiments, labeling them as gateways to violence. It also stated, "Collective punishment is contrary to international law. So is the murder of civilians. The violence must stop now. There is no military solution to this crisis, only a political one that acknowledges the common humanity of both Israelis and Palestinians, respects the human rights of all, and creates a path for both societies to live side by side in peace.
The statement sparked a swift response on social media, with many drawing parallels between the current situation and the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, which occurred during Carter's presidency. On November 4, 1979, students in Iran seized the U.S. embassy in response to Carter's decision to allow the deposed Shah into the US for medical treatment. The crisis lasted 444 days, with 52 hostages being released shortly after Ronald Reagan assumed office in 1981.
Rocky Sickmann, a former Marine and survivor of the 1979 hostage crisis, spoke to Fox News about the situation. He said, "Forty-four years ago, the war on terrorism started the day that the Islamic Republic of Iran attacked the American embassy using women as shields as they broke through the basement. Just as you heard that story about Gaza having a missile launcher right next to a hospital. I mean, it's their fingerprints all over this thing, and it's very sad."
Sickmann further added, "We, as Americans, should never forget those individuals that are over there. The Islamic Republic of Iran has done this for 44 years. They have humiliated every President that we have had. And here they are, to this day, doing the same thing."
Despite denials from Biden administration officials regarding Iran's involvement in the current crisis, leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah have claimed that Iran, known as the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, assisted in planning the surprise attack on Israeli civilians.
This claim is supported by a previous report from the Wall Street Journal, which stated that Iranian security officials approved the plan to attack Israel at a meeting in Beirut.
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