Gaza ceasefire talks to restart next week: Hamas

[bemildred]

Gaza City: Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are to resume talks on a durable Gaza ceasefire next week in Cairo, a senior official of the Islamist movement Hamas which rules the territory said on Monday.

“Hamas and the Palestinian factions will take part in a session of indirect negotiations with the occupation (Israel) on the 27th of this month at the invitation of Egypt,” said Hamas deputy leader Mousa Abu Marzouq.

He said on the movement’s Al Ray website that the Palestinians would from the outset demand the opening of a Gaza port and reopening of the territory’s airport.

A source close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave no comment on the reported resumption of talks.

http://gulfnews.com/news/region/palestinian-territories/gaza-ceasefire-talks-to-restart-next-week-hamas-1.1401740

[oberliner]

1. They still can't bring themselves to say Israel

That doesn't bode well.

[bemildred]

2. I'm not optimistic that many agreements will be reached.

I think events will overtake this argument (I/P) before it is ever resolved. (No idea how exactly that would happen, but I think there is no chance of any early bloom of tranquility in I/P, and meanwhile the entire Middle East is falling apart into failed states and warlordism. We are in the position of buddying up to Iran in hopes of restoring order in Iraq. And the Kurds are going to really upset the applecart now.)

[oberliner]

3. Any way the Kurds end up with their own state when all is said and done?

They certainly deserve one.

[bemildred]

4. I think they will try for it.

When will they have a better shot at it?
How that would come out I don't think anybody can predict.
The small fry get crushed when the elephants are fighting, and that would likely cause some fighting.

However, our good friends ISIS may help out, if this war with ISIS goes on long enough, PKK and Turkey might make up, and Erdogan is taking heat for screwing up the peace process with PKK. Iraqi Kurdistan will remain a "non-state" like it is now for a while, but eventually it will get formally recognized, I'd hope.

[bemildred]

5. Winning a hard-fought battle against a formidable foe can be very empowering, too.

And not just in the sense of military capability, that is the least of it. Look at what taking Mosul did for ISIS. Such a victory in Kobane could have a similar effect for PKK and the Kurds, and do similar harm to ISIS as the Magistrate was saying here:

.http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014922432#post16

[oberliner]

6. The US kind of shafted the Kurds during Gulf War I

I fear a repeat this time round.

[bemildred]

7. Entirely possible, I'm sorry to say,

But they are between a rock and a hard place, not much choice about it either. I'm just pleased to see us supporting them. And they have a lot going for them too, not just the USA. I'm sure we'd be less tentative about it were it not for their being split four ways. But for example, if the Kurds, with our help, manage to kick ISIS out of all or parts of W. Syria, who is going to make them give it back any time soon? Not Assad. That is what Turkey is worried about.