Jimmy Carter apparently intends to go ahead with his plan to meet Hamas thugazoid Khaled Meshaal where he’s hiding in Syria, despite the State Department’s admonition against it.

Yes, the State Department disapproved of an idea by Jimmy Carter. Imagine that.

Well, today Carter openly admitted he’s been sitting down for tea with the genocidal terror gang for years. Hey, no big deal. What’s everybody upset about?

The former president said he felt “quite at ease” about meeting Mashaal because Hamas is essential to a future peace with Israel. …

Asked whether it was right to meet a group that has not renounced violence or recognized Israel, he said, “Well, you can’t always get prerequisites adopted by other people before you even talk to them.”

Pressure to drop the meeting has come from his own party. Democratic Reps. Artur Davis of Alabama, Shelley Berkley of Nevada, Adam Schiff of California and Adam Smith of Washington state wrote a letter to Carter saying the meeting could confer legitimacy on a group that embraces violence.

“I’ve been meeting with Hamas leaders for years,” Carter said.

Sympathy for Hamas can also be found on the left side of the blogosphere: Firedoglake - God Bless Jimmy Carter, the Best Friend Israel Ever Had.