It looks like a small chance for peace may be opening in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas, who controls the Gaza Strip, says a cease-fire has been reached with Israel and will commence at 6am this coming Thursday. Israel would neither confirm or deny the report.The cease-fire has been brokered by the Egyptians, and it is hoped that it will result in relief for the citizens of Gaza. Israel has cut Gaza off from the world since they elected Hamas to govern there last year. Gaza has over a million people, and things are starting to get critical there. They have not been able to get enough supplies to keep the population fed properly.
According to Hamas, Israel is supposed to let some supplies through on Saturday after three days of no violence. Saturday will also mark the beginning of talks about the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas months ago. After the cease-fire has been in effect for a week with no violence, Israel will allow even more supplies to start entering Gaza and will consider opening the border between Gaza and Egypt.
Hamas says all the Palestinian groups are on-board with the cease-fire. But Hamas and Israel do not trust each other, and neither really believes the other will honor the cease-fire. Both sides will have to take it a day at a time. This may be a very tenuous operation, but it is the first good news for the area in quite a while.
Both sides of this conflict have been unreasonable. Hamas has said Israel doesn't have the right to exist. Israel has branded Hamas as terrorist and refused to negotiate with them. But these kind of opportunities are few and far-between, and both sides must give a bit.
Hamas is showing signs of being willing to talk. Israel must now do the same. They can't pick who they will negotiate with. Negotiations must be with the group in power, whether you like them or not.
This may not be a huge break-through, but it is a break-through. I hope neither side blows it.
jobsanger, I hope WE don't blow it for them. The U.S. had no active role in negotiating this ceasefire, so I hope it's acceptable within our foreign policy establishment and they let these people get on with the business of figuring out how to live next to eah other.
ReplyDeleteGood point. Bush is stupid enough to screw it up because he doesn't like Hamas. We need to stay out of this until we can treat both sides fairly.
ReplyDelete