WALTHAM -- Jimmy Carter, in a carefully orchestrated visit, received multiple ovations last night during his speech at Brandeis University. Loud applause greeted his rebuttal of critics who have called him an anti-Semite because of his views on Israel.
The 82-year-old former president, whose best-selling book "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid" has angered many Jewish groups and others nationwide, spoke in a gym packed with about 1,700 Brandeis students, faculty, and other members of the campus community. About 50 protesters gathered outside, but the only protest visible inside the gym was "Pro Israel, Pro Peace" buttons worn by about 200 students.
"This is the first time that I've ever been called a liar and a bigot and an anti-Semite and a coward and a plagiarist," Carter said to a hushed audience at the school, which has a predominantly Jewish student body, referring to the reaction to his book.
Carter had turned down an initial invitation to appear after it was suggested that he debate Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz. Some questioned whether the debate proposal was denying free speech and whether Brandeis was truly open to views critical of Israel. Ultimately, after more than 100 students and faculty signed a petition inviting him without strings, Carter agreed to speak. Dershowitz was kept out of the gym during the speech, but allowed to give a rebuttal after Carter left.
Carter's book, which criticizes Israel's treatment of Palestinians, has prompted allegations of errors and omissions and charges of anti-Israel bias. Carter's use of the word apartheid to describe the situation of the Palestinians has upset many. But Carter has also received support from some who say the book raises important questions about US support for Israel.
Carter, president from 1977 to 1981, brokered the 1978 Camp David peace accord between Israel and Egypt and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
At Brandeis, he spoke for about 15 minutes, then fielded screened questions from students for roughly 45 minutes.
In response to a question, Carter apologized for a sentence in his book that he acknowledged seemed to justify terrorism by saying that suicide bombings should end when Israel accepts the goals of the road map to peace with Palestinians.
"That sentence was worded in a completely improper and stupid way," Carter said. "I've written my publishers to change that sentence immediately in future editions of the book. I apologize to you personally and to everyone here."
But he defended the use of the word apartheid in his book title.
"I realize that this has caused great concern in the Jewish community," he said. "The title makes it clear that the book is about conditions and events in the Palestinian territory and not in Israel. And the text makes clear on numerous occasions that the forced separation and the domination of Arabs by Israelis is not based on race."
As the audience was silent, he spoke of roads Palestinians could not use and of the more than 500 checkpoints in the tiny West Bank.
He suggested that a group of Brandeis professors and students visit the occupied territories for a few days and meet with leaders and private citizens "to determine if I have exaggerated or incorrectly described the plight of the Palestinians. "
Early in his speech, he quipped about the controversy over his invitation to speak at Brandeis.
"Except for an invitation from the US Congress to deliver my inaugural address . . . this is the most exciting invitation I've ever received, and it's gotten almost as much publicity," Carter said.
In response to the efforts to have him debate Dershowitz, the former president said to loud applause: "I didn't think Brandeis needed a Harvard professor to come" and tell them how to think.
After Carter's speech, roughly half of the audience remained to hear Dershowitz's rebuttal.
He said that Carter modified some of his viewpoints during his appearance at Brandeis and corrected information in his book.
"Had he written a book similar to what he said on stage, I don't believe there would have been much controversy," he said. "I wish I didn't have to be here today to respond to President Carter."
Dershowitz later added, "We are not that far apart in our views."
Students left the former president's speech with mixed opinions.
Jake Sebrow, 22, a senior majoring in politics, said he was impressed by Carter's talk and supported his message of peace, but still disagreed with a lot of what he said.
"I think he showed how to go about creating a dialogue," Sebrow said.
Sara Hammershleg, 19, a freshman wearing a "Pro Israel, Pro Peace" button, was upset that there hadn't been a debate, that the questions were screened, and students couldn't ask follow-ups.
"I wish he could have been challenged more," she said.
But Nadhava Palikapitiya, 30, a graduate student from Sri Lanka, said Carter's message was on the mark.
"I agree with him 150 percent, that people have to try to look at this debate objectively," he said.
Carter's talk was open only to the Brandeis community and the press.
An overflow crowd of several hundred students and faculty members watched the speech shown on two large screens in the student center.
Across the street from the gym where Carter spoke, a mix of Carter critics and supporters, mostly nonstudents, stood in a designated area holding signs with opposing views.
Erik Miller, 26, held a sign that said, "Carter lied, thousands died." A few feet away, Karen Klein, held a sign expressing support for Carter.
Miller, 26, who said he had just returned from a 20-day trip to Israel, is a campus coordinator of the David Project Center for Jewish Leadership, a Boston-area group that supports Israel. He said he objected to the title of Carter's book.
"Israel is the most free, the most open country," Miller said. "I saw black Jews. I saw brown Jews. I saw white Jews and also non-Jews. The true apartheid is in the Arab world, where if you're not Muslim and if you're not male, you can be victimized very easily."
Klein, a member of the Workmen's Circle, a national Jewish organization, said she believed Carter's view supported peace in Israel.
Several hours before his speech, Carter signed books at the Harvard Coop in Cambridge for several hundred people, who were mainly supporters.
One woman said, "I wish you were running in 2008."
April Simpson of the Globe staff contributed to this report.