Report: Hamas accepts Egyptian proposal for Gaza truce

[Scurrilous]

Source: Haaretz

<snip>

"Hamas is willing to accept an Egyptian initiative for a cease-fire agreement with Israel, after having added some amendments, the Saudi-owned Arabic language Al Arabiya TV reported Wednesday evening.

The report came as Israeli forces were nearing the end of the 19th day of an offensive targeting Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

According to the report, Hamas has agreed to abide by the 2005 agreement which calls for Palestinian Authority forces to man the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt under the supervision of European observers.

Hamas conditioned the cease-fire agreement with Israel on the immediate withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the Gaza Strip, Al Arabiya reported. The senior Hamas officials that held talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo had announced that they would hold a press conference on the outcome of the negotiations at 8 P.M.

The Spanish newspaper El Pais, quoting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, also said Hamas had accepted the Egyptian proposal to end the fighting between Israel and the Islamist group."

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1055510.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Scurrilous.

[DissedByBush]

7. Translation

"We're getting our butts kicked and we need a cease-fire so we can regroup and rearm."

[BunkerHill24]

2. Thank you Scurrilous.....you are one of my favorite posters here

K&R

[Scurrilous]

5. Thanks.

:thumbsup:

[Yonatan]

3. Rec'd

Thanks for the info, Scurrilous.


Way better than Greece's reaction: instead of slightly delaying a massacre, they actively work to avoid it altogether.
Kudos to the Egyptian govt.

[redqueen]

4. Here's hoping... (nt)

[Scurrilous]

6. Hamas presents reservations regarding truce

Following reports group accepted Egypt's ceasefire proposal, Hamas representative says in Cairo press conference that Israel must lift siege on Gaza, end aggression, pull out of Strip and open border crossings for truce to materialize

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3656359,00.html

<snip>

"Despite previous reports saying Hamas is willing to accept Egypt's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, the group's representative Salah Bardawil said at a press conference in Cairo Wednesday that the group still had reservations regarding the initiative.

"We will try to achieve our objectives in any way possible, in order to end the aggression, lift the siege and open the crossings," he stated.

"The Egyptian proposal is the only plan that has been presented to us," said Bardawil. "We have presented our vision and hope it will materialize."

Bardawil said that what Hamas demanded from "the Zionist enemy" is to lift the siege on Gaza, halt the aggression, pull out all Israeli forces from the Strip and open the border crossings.

The official added that Hamas expressed its reservations to the Egyptians, who were expected to convey them to Israel.

It appears that the group's statement was deliberately ambiguous, in order to leave room for flexibility in the negotiations. However, it notably lacked the militant tone of Hamas' recent messages."

<snip>

"Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, whose nation has been instrumental in ceasefire talks, said he had received Hamas' latest proposal and would convey it to the Israelis. Without revealing details, he indicated an agreement was near and a Hamas spokesman said the militant group had "no other choice."



US skeptical Hamas will embrace Gaza ceasefire

<snip>

"The White House on Wednesday expressed skepticism in the face of reports that Hamas will accept an Egyptian ceasefire to end the war with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

"Let's wait and see what Hamas really does," spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters after a senior Egyptian diplomat told AFP the Islamist movement had accepted Cairo's plan to end the conflict.

"We have every right to be skeptical of things that you see in the newspapers reported about Hamas and so I think we need to wait and see what actually happens," said Perino.

Perino brushed aside questions about whether US President George W. Bush, who leaves office January 20, was pushing Israel to wrap up its offensive, but said Washington wanted "a durable ceasefire established as soon as possible."

"And we appreciate what the Egyptians have done to try to establish a dialogue so that we could get to that point," said the spokeswoman."

more

[Hydra]

8. Wait for Israel to say:

"We have not achieved our objectives, there will be no cease-fire until then."

[bdamomma]

9. what has Israel said on this?

[Scurrilous]

10. Israeli truce negotiator to head to Egypt on Thursday for 'decisive' talks

<snip>

"The Israeli Defense Ministry says the point man in efforts to reach a cease-fire with Hamas is headed to Egypt later this week for what officials call decisive talks.

Egypt has been a key mediator in attempts to forge a truce during Israel's 18-day offensive in Gaza.

Israel's decision to send Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad to Egypt on Thursday could be a signal of progress. Gilad had put off the trip for days, saying the time was not yet ripe.

Defense officials say that depending on what happens in Cairo, Israel will decide to move closer to a cease-fire or whether to launch a new, even tougher stage of its offensive. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing sensitive policy matters."

http://www.grandforksherald.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D95MCCMG1

[Ghost Dog]

11. Latest Reuters report on this:

Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:10pm GMT GAZA (Reuters) - Cease-fire negotiations intensified on Wednesday as Israeli forces kept up the pressure on Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian death toll rose above 1,000 after 19 days of air and ground attacks.

An Israeli envoy will meet Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Thursday after a Hamas delegation concluded talks on an Egyptian truce proposal by repeating their demand that Israel withdraw its troops and lift a long-standing blockade on the enclave.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, a former EU envoy to the Middle East, told reporters in the West Bank: "My perception is we are very close to reaching a cease-fire. They are very close but still there is some work to be done."

In Cairo, Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil said: "The movement has presented a detailed vision to the Egyptian leadership so it can continue its pursuit to end the aggression and lift the injustice on our people in the Gaza Strip."

/... http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKLS69391620090114

Edit: Spain's El País newspaper reports today that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni want to cease fire and withdraw; Prime Minister Olmert wants to continue to the bitter end. Israeli military comanders, the report says, also want an end to the action: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Olmert/niega/parar/guerra/deja/1000/muertos/elpepuint/20090114elpepuint_17/Tes

Barak ya propuso muy pocos días después de iniciado los bombardeos sobre Gaza -tras ser arrasadas gran parte de las instalaciones civiles de la franja y militares de Hamás- que se aceptara una propuesta de alto el fuego patrocinada por Egipto y Francia. Ayer insistía. No se pueden conseguir más logros en la campaña militar. Barak opina que lo único que puede suceder es que surjan complicaciones en el campo de batalla y propuso ayer un alto el fuego de una semana...

La jefa de la diplomacia (Livni) aboga también por poner el punto final, aunque sin pactar acuerdo alguno con Hamás, preocupada por el hecho de que el movimiento islamista obtenga un reconocimiento político que le produce sarpullidos.

Portavoces de Olmert arremetieron contra el responsable de Defensa: "Sus palabras constituyen una falta de responsabilidad nacional. Es muy grave que los ministros hablen a los medios sobre la conducción de la guerra y un alto el fuego"...

Los altos mandos militares también empujan para poner fin a esta guerra. Consideran que los objetivos fijados para la operación Plomo Fundido han sido logrados. Desde hace días, el propio Olmert afirma coincidir con la posición de los jefes castrenses. Pero la agresión ha persistido hoy.

Rough translation:

Barak had already proposed a few days after the start of the bombings on Gaza - after having devastated a large part of the civilian infrastructure of the strip and of the Hamás militias - that he would accept a proposed cease-fire sponsored by Egypt and France. He repeated this position yesterday. Further gains from the military campaign cannot be obtained. Barak thinks that the only thing that can happen now is that complications will arise on the battlefield, and yesterday proposed a one week cease-fire...

The head of Israeli diplomacy (Livni) also recommends calling a halt, although without agreeing to any deal with Hamás, worried sick by the political recognition the islamist movement has obtained.

Spokesmen for Olmert attacked the Defense Minister: "His words constitute a lack of national responsibility. It is very grave that Ministers should speak to the media about the conduct of the war and a cease-fire"...

Military High Commanders also push to put an end this war. They consider that the objectives for operation Fused Lead have been achieved. For days now, Olmert himself has claimed to agree with the position of the military chiefs. But the aggression has persisted today.

[Scurrilous]

12. Thanks for the update.

:thumbsup:

[Scurrilous]

13. Report: Israel 'green-lights' ceasefire

Diplomatic sources in Cairo say Defense Ministry official's visit will probably result in Israel's acceptance of Egyptian truce initiative in Gaza

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3656971,00.html

<snip>

"While strikes in Gaza and rockets on Israel's southern communities continued Thursday, signs of a materializing ceasefire were also present. According to Egyptian diplomats, Israel is leaning towards accepting the country's truce initiative in Gaza.

Amos Gilad, the head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau, has returned from his visit to Cairo, where he met with head of Egyptian intelligence, Omar Suleiman.

According to diplomatic sources in Egypt, Israel gave the ceasefire offered in Cairo a "green light", just one day after Hamas approved the plan's principle points.

Gilad is set to brief Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on his the visit.

Sources in Jerusalem said the briefing may yield a decision on whether to approve the Egyptian initiative and a subsequent withdrawal from Gaza, or to continue the offensive in the Strip. The security cabinet is scheduled to debate the decision Friday morning."

[Scurrilous]

14. Report: Israel, Hamas agree on 2-week truce

Palestinian sources tell Ynet fighting in Gaza to cease within 72 hours for period of two weeks, during which sides will discuss supervision of crossings, IDF withdrawal from Strip and removal of blockade.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3657085,00.html

<snip>

"Palestinian sources told Ynet on Thursday evening that Israel and Hamas have agreed on all the general outlines of the Egyptian ceasefire initiative to end the fighting in Gaza.

According to the report, the sides have agreed on the truce, on the supervision of the smuggling issue, on the crossings and on lifting of the blockade imposed on the Strip.

According to the sources, the two sides are expected to agree on a ceasefire which will likely begin within 72 hours and last up to two weeks.

During this period of time, the parties will discuss the Israel Defense Forces' withdrawal from Gaza and the withdrawal's timing. Palestinian sources estimated that the pullback into Israel would be swift."

[maddezmom]

15. not sure why it needs to take 72 hours, but I hope this works out

thanks for posting. Probably would be worth a post on it's own in LBN.

[ShadesOfGrey]

16. Yay! This sounds hopeful. nt