DEBKAfile: Barak to bring Israel’s answers to Egyptian truce-cum-prisoner-release proposal Wednesday
[..] Saturday, DEBKAfile disclosed the outline of the Egyptian proposal which is backed by Washington. Defense minister Ehud Barak will inform Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in Cairo Wednesday, Dec. 26 whether Israel is prepared to open talks on the initiative, which was disclosed as follows:
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1. Hamas will suspend its missile and mortar fire on Israeli communities across the border and make its allies comply with the ceasefire.
2. Israel must give the US and Egypt guarantees for the cancellation of its planned major ground offensive against Gaza and halt the IDF’s 2-3 km penetrations and the targeting of terrorist chiefs and missile crews.
3. Egypt will invite a US military force, including engineering teams, to deploy along the Gaza-Egyptian border for a joint operation to end smuggling from Sinai.
4. Gilead Shalit, the Israeli soldier kidnapped last year, will be freed in exchange for jailed Palestinian terrorists whose number is still in negotiation.
5. If the deal holds up for three months, the US and Israel will not object to the Palestinian Authority’s Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas opening a dialogue for a Palestinian national unity government.
DEBKAfile’s Washington and Jerusalem sources say there is still a way to go before a deal can be concluded. Israel objects in principle to a Hamas-Fatah reconciliation. Hamas would emerge victorious from its coup against the PA in Gaza, without having to recognize Israel or renounce its ambition to destroy the Jewish State. The siege against Gaza would fizzle out.
While Washington formally supports Israel’s position, in private talks, US officials urge Israel and Egypt to consummate the deal for the sake of a positive climate to greet President George W. Bush when he arrives in the Middle East on Jan. 8. Israel is advised to be realistic and accept that in the long run the Palestinians cannot be divided between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Neither can Israel expect Abbas to take responsibility for Gaza in peace talks if he cannot communicate with its leaders.
Behind Israel’s reluctance to take Washington’s advice, DEBKAfile’s Jerusalem sources report, is a well-founded suspicion that the Americans are using the Egyptian proposal as a stepping stone for making Iran a party to an accommodation in the Gaza Strip. Already, the Bush administration has begun backtracking on Lebanon, in furtherance of its secret dialogue with Iran on regional understandings to take the place of confrontation. Through these avenues, Washington is feared to be building a rationale to justify its softening on the Iranian nuclear issue. This would be a bit much for Israel to swallow.
Ted Belman
So why do I call it “sucker’s bait”? Because it neuter’s Hamas’ goal of destroying Israel. It implies Hamas is content on ruling Gaza and then the Judea and Samaria and not fighting Israel.
I do not believe that Hamas is prepared to live in peace with Israel. If the smuggling is truly stopped, Hamas will not be able to increase its arsenal. This is unacceptable to them. For them to abandon their goal is to accept defeat.
If the US expects Hamas and Fatah to reconcile, then why is it training and arming Fatah to fight Hamas. If this deal really is in the works, and it may be, why does it not include demilitarization.
Fatah needed to be armed to fight Hamas or so the story goes. If they are going to reconcile, we should be demilitarizing them.
Nothing will work except one thing: changing the Israeli leadership. Other than that, we’d better practice a nice kaddish.
Nothing will work except one thing: changing the Israeli leadership. Other than that, we’d better practice a nice kaddish.
Nothing will work except one thing: changing the Israeli leadership. Other than that, we’d better practice a nice kaddish.
At this point I do not trust any deal brokered by a US that is so anxious to cozy up to Iran and Saudi and save Bushes legacy that they would do and say anything and then welch on terms once Hamas begins firing rockets once again.
It seems to me that Hamas is okay with terrorizing the Israelis until Israel starts defending itself and then they run for cover under the armpits of the US and the international community.
This time they need to experience retaliation so that they know that the Israelis are serious and they must give up their armed struggle and unconditionally recognize Israel.
Since that is just wishful thinking, Israel should continue its assault until Gaza, which is merely a terrorist city-state, is converted into a buffer zone under Israel’s control. The inhabitants can use some of the 7.4 billion dollars to establish an enclave in Sinai next to Egypt or inside Jordan, the only Palestinian State in existence and one which has never taken any responsibility for its refugees.
Any deal between Abbas and Hamas, as Ted points out, would be poison for Israel and everyone else.
At this point I do not trust any deal brokered by a US that is so anxious to cozy up to Iran and Saudi and save Bushes legacy that they would do and say anything and then welch on terms once Hamas begins firing rockets once again.
It seems to me that Hamas is okay with terrorizing the Israelis until Israel starts defending itself and then they run for cover under the armpits of the US and the international community.
This time they need to experience retaliation so that they know that the Israelis are serious and they must give up their armed struggle and unconditionally recognize Israel.
Since that is just wishful thinking, Israel should continue its assault until Gaza, which is merely a terrorist city-state, is converted into a buffer zone under Israel’s control. The inhabitants can use some of the 7.4 billion dollars to establish an enclave in Sinai next to Egypt or inside Jordan, the only Palestinian State in existence and one which has never taken any responsibility for its refugees.
Any deal between Abbas and Hamas, as Ted points out, would be poison for Israel and everyone else.
At this point I do not trust any deal brokered by a US that is so anxious to cozy up to Iran and Saudi and save Bushes legacy that they would do and say anything and then welch on terms once Hamas begins firing rockets once again.
It seems to me that Hamas is okay with terrorizing the Israelis until Israel starts defending itself and then they run for cover under the armpits of the US and the international community.
This time they need to experience retaliation so that they know that the Israelis are serious and they must give up their armed struggle and unconditionally recognize Israel.
Since that is just wishful thinking, Israel should continue its assault until Gaza, which is merely a terrorist city-state, is converted into a buffer zone under Israel’s control. The inhabitants can use some of the 7.4 billion dollars to establish an enclave in Sinai next to Egypt or inside Jordan, the only Palestinian State in existence and one which has never taken any responsibility for its refugees.
Any deal between Abbas and Hamas, as Ted points out, would be poison for Israel and everyone else.