Former President Jimmy Carter is heading to Syria today for talks with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. Carter said the meetings with Hamas are necessary to move forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Jimmy Carter: “The leaders of Hamas, would they accept a proposition that if there is success between Abu Mazen and the Prime Minister of Israel and they reached an agreement on all the issues, the major issues, and if they were then submitted to a referendum of the Palestinian community and the Palestinians approve, would Hamas accept that agreement? And that answer was yes.”

Carter also criticized the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip. He said, “It’s an atrocity what is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza. It’s a crime.” He said Palestinians are starving to death because of the blockade.