The Last Exile

According to Ynet News former US president Jimmy Carter is in a ‘repentant’ state of mind.

WASHINGTON – Former US President Jimmy Carter on Monday asked for the Jewish community’s forgiveness for any negative stigma he may have caused Israel over the years. Carter, who is not a popular character in Israel, enraged the American Jewish community’s in the past with various statements made in his book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.”
(…)”We must recognize Israel’s achievements under difficult circumstances, even as we strive in a positive way to help Israel continue to improve its relations with its Arab populations, but we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel. “As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so,” he said.

I have tried to teach my children that an apology which is made up with just words – no matter how heartfelt; is meaningless unless there are true acts, physcial acts, backing up the words repentance and reconciliation. Articulating the words for an apology and speaking them to the wronged party is the first step but without deeds – they remain transient and fleeting as the sound used to utter them.
I cannot speak for the American Jewish community nor the Israeli community but if Carter truly wished to reconcile himself to those he has harmed or wronged he would not issue his ‘al chet’ with his hands swinging empty at his side.