Jimmy Carter is not only a terrorist sympathizer and an Israel hater—he’s also awesomely, mind-bogglingly stupid: Hamas open to peace deal with Palestinian backing.

JERUSALEM - Former US president Jimmy Carter said on Monday the Islamist Hamas movement told him it would recognise Israel’s right to live in peace if a deal is reached and approved by a Palestinian vote.

Carter made the comments following two meetings in Damascus with exiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal that angered Israel and the United States, which consider the movement a terror group despite its victory in 2006 elections.

“They said that they would accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders if approved by Palestinians and that they would accept the right of Israel to live as a neighbour, next door, in peace,”  Carter told the Israeli Council on Foreign Relations think-tank.

Hamas would agree to such a peace deal, yet to be negotiated, provided it is “submitted to Palestinians for their overall approval even though Hamas might disagree with some terms of the agreement,”  Carter said in Jerusalem.

UPDATE at 4/21/08 9:15:30 am:

Hamas leader says militant group won’t recognize Israel.