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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Gaza peace brokers eye breakthrough |
| 2009-01-08 |
| Peace brokers proclaimed a breakthrough Wednesday in efforts to halt the Gaza conflict as Israel warmed to a Franco-Egyptian initiative. Israel stopped short of saying whether the plan floated late Tuesday by the presidents of Egypt and France after a summit by the Red Sea would be accepted as a basis on which to end its 12-day-old campaign in Gaza where nearly 700 people have been killed. However its chief spokesman said Israel viewed the initiative positively, prompting French President Nicolas Sarkozy to hail its "acceptance" by Israel and the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas to say he was willing to go to Egypt for more talks. Egypt is also to invite Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Abbas's rival Fatah movement, to a fresh round of reconciliation talks. The Israeli military called a three-hour halt to its bombing of Gaza in the afternoon to allow aid to reach the territory, prompting Hamas fighters to also hold their fire and allowing embattled Gazans to venture outside to shop for food. Clashes resumed after its expiry, however. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Peace brokers? Is there really much of a market? What's the going price per peace? |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-01-08 16:05 |