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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Hamas spells out Gaza truce conditions |
| 2008-06-13 |
| Hamas laid out conditions on Thursday for a truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip and for discussing reconciliation with the Fatah movement of president Mahmud Abbas. Any truce must include "in exchange a lifting of the (Israeli) siege, with a precise timetable for opening the crossing points (out of Gaza) and a list of the categories of products that will enter the Gaza Strip," said the Hamas leader there, Ismael Haniya. "It is important that the Rafah terminal (between Gaza and Egypt) be part of the project for calm. The Israelis and others have insisted that the Rafah terminal not be included" in an eventual deal, he added. This is the first time Hamas has demanded a timetable for opening the crossings and a list of products since Israel imposed the blockade after the Islamist movement seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to Abbas last June. The Israelis have been linking the opening of Rafah -- the only outlet for Gaza that does not pass through Israel -- to the freeing of Corporal Gilad Shalit, captured by Hamas and others in a cross-border raid two years ago. Haniya added that the Rafah crossing should be under the joint administration of the Palestinians and the Egyptians. On Thursday, Israel joined a new round of Egyptian-brokered negotiations on a proposed truce after deciding to give the talks one last go while preparing for military action if they fail. Defence Minister Ehud Barak told reporters his country "must assess the possibilities of reaching a calm" but that "our duty is to ensure security around the Gaza Strip and we shall do so." "Our military is strong and we are ready. As soon as the order is given, we will act," he added, stressing that Israel must first "try to reach the same results without turning to the armed forces." Turning to the question of Fatah, Haniya set out a long list of conditions for a new "national dialogue" with Hamas called for last week by Abbas. "Dialogue is not sorting out differences between two clans," Haniya said. "It must include all the questions and details of the dossiers on security, on cohabitation, on the Palestine Liberation Organisation, on judicial institutions," he said. Saying "we need to agree on the basis for dialogue," Haniya added that talks should be direct, but under Arab mediation. "We have sent a ten-point document to the Palestinians and to the Arabs, calling for the unity of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, respect for legality, reform of the security services and the right to resistance" against Israel. Haniya also demanded the release of all Hamas militants arrested in the West Bank and the reopening of Islamic institutions and associations that have been shut down there. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Ah, the old "give us everything up front and we'll think about stopping our provocations" trick... |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-06-13 10:44 |
| #1 You'll get nothing, and like it! |
| Posted by: Judge Elihu Smails 2008-06-13 10:11 |