Jimmy Carter To Give Keynote Speech At Muslim Convention In Detroit

On Monday, The Toledo Blade reported that former President Jimmy Carter, the same President who accused Israel of practicing apartheid and called for the U.S to "legitimize" Hamas, will be giving the keynote speech at the 51st annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) held in Detroit this Friday, September 1st.

The speech will be held at a luncheon August 30th.

That very same evening, a session will be held titled, "Generations Rise: Elevating Muslim-American Culture," the same title as the conference's theme, where ISNA's outgoing President, Imam Mohamed Magid and four other Muslim speakers will offer ideas over Muslim-American advancement over the next five years. 

A "secret special guest" is also billed to appear, no indications are made whether that will be Carter or not.

At the convention's opening session Friday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, the national leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will make remarks. 

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim member of Congress, will also be speaking Saturday.

The Old Dog, Jimmy Carter, Praises Hamas-Fatah Reconciliation

The Carter Center issued a statement on Friday, hailing the reconciliation of once rivals Hamas and Fatah Wednesday evening in Cairo.

The center, founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, commended members of Hamas and Fatah for " having the vision to begin the process of reunifying the Palestinian people", saying that the Egyptian brokered deal provides a framework to resolve many of the longstanding issues faced by the Palestinian people in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Representatives from Hamas and Fatah announced in Cairo on Wednesday night their intention to reconcile, after a four-year-long bitter and at times violent rift, which saw Hamas administering the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the control of the Fatah dominated Palestinian Authority.

Israel has rejected the Hamas-Fatah unity agreement, with Netanyahu saying shortly after it was announced that "the Palestinian Authority must choose either peace with Israel or peace with Hamas. There is no possibility for peace with both. Hamas aspires to destroy Israel and fires rockets at our cities ... at our children."

Hamas's charter calls for the destruction of Israel, and Israel and the Gaza Strip-based group exchanged heavy fire earlier this month. Hamas hit school bus with an anti-tank missile, mortally wounding an Israeli child who later died.

Read More:

http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/carter-hails-hamas-fatah-reconciliation-1.358895