Jimmy Carter: “Americans now, as at all times in our history, remain steadfast in our belief that liberty and national independence are…”

That our country for the first time in my lifetime has abandoned basic principles of human rights.

I recognize that Israel is a wonderful democracy with freedom of speech and equality of treatment under the law between Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis.

But inside Palestine, outside of Israel, where the Israelis occupying forces are there, the persecution and deprivation of the Palestinians is horrendous.

Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy.