| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Hamas Rejects Egypt's Cease-Fire Plan |
| 2009-01-09 |
| The Hamas leadership rejected on Thursday an Egyptian truce plan for the Gaza Strip saying it lacked the "valid basis" that would secure Israel's pull out of the Gaza, reopening all border crossings and lifting the blockade against the Palestinians. A statement by the Damascus-based ten Palestinian factions, including Hamas, said they "didn't see in the Egyptian initiative any valid basis for any acceptable solution as it includes articles deemed risky for the Palestinian resistance and its future." It added that the aim of the Egyptian move was "to impose restrict on the resistance movement, blockading it while giving the enemy the free hand. The initiative could only help the enemy achieve the results they are unable to attain so far." The Palestinian factions said it questioned the participation of Arab parties in the plan, but didn't name these countries. A two-man delegation of Emad al-Alami and Mohammed Nasr flew back to Damascus on Wednesday night after having lengthy talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials, including intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, to discuss the initiative with Hamas's Syrian-based leadership. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak put forward a truce plan for the ravaged territory late Tuesday aimed at ending Israel's assault which has killed more than 700 Palestinians and ending militant rocket fire. The plan hopes to install a temporary cease-fire followed by an official truce, the securing of Gaza's border and the opening of crossing points to and from the isolated territory. The factions reiterated in the statement their demands of "stopping the aggression, immediate withdrawal, lifting the siege and opening the crossing points, particularly Rafah." They also rejected the idea of deploying international observers in Gaza. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 ION HAMAS, PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > [Unconfirmed at this time] HAMAS is claiming that its LR AL-QASSAM/GRAD ROCKETS have successfuly struck Israel's TEL NOF airbase, which is also believed to house Israeli nuclear weapons??? * ISRAELFORUM News > US EX-PENTAGON CHIEF WILLIAM PERRY: ISRAEL WILL NOT SIT IDLE WHILE IRAN FINALIZES NUCLEAR STEPS; + ANGER OVER GAZA GROWS IN ARAB STREETS. Muslim Govts. legitimacy vee US-Israel and pro-Muslim/Islam Policies being questioned = new scrutiny by many locals. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-01-09 20:21 |
| #6 I hope this buys the IDF another week to deconstruct Hamas. |
| Posted by: mhw 2009-01-09 14:44 |
| #5 "Give us everything we want up front or we won't negotiate!" |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-01-09 10:30 |
| #4 The UNSC Res is too vague to sub for a ceasefire plan, and seems most realize that. The real practical stumbling block right now seems to be Egypt. Israel isnt going to accept a deal that doenst effectively prevent Hamas from rearming, both for the practical reason that Hamas rockets damage Israel AND the peace process, and because to do so would mean a loss of face. Given that Egypt has been ineffective at stopping smuggling, Israel needs EU troops/observers at the Rafah crossing, on the egyptian side. Mubarak hasnt signed off. Methinks hes looking for some hefty baksheesh. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2009-01-09 10:08 |
| #3 |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-01-09 07:23 |
| #2 Because they get a better deal from UNSC. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-01-09 04:19 |
| #1 Hamas demands that they continue to get the stuffing kicked out of them until a better deal is presented. They are obviously banking on the fact that the Israelis will get bored with winning or will find the overwhelming stench will eventually offend them. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2009-01-09 01:50 |