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"The developments of the last few days are liable to arouse hope. The agreement on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, together with the prime minister's impressive speech in Sde Boker, could generate a new atmosphere in Israel's relations with the Palestinians - an atmosphere that would enable the start of serious negotiations between the parties. Israel must not waste this rare window of opportunity.
Against this backdrop, it is difficult to understand the opposition of certain Israel Defense Forces officers, and the reservations expressed yesterday by the defense minister, with regard to an expansion of the cease-fire to the West Bank as well - especially given the Palestinians' declarations that they would be interested in expanding the cease-fire.
The cease-fire will be able to take hold only if it applies to both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It is impossible to separate what happens in these two places: Every military operation in the West Bank is liable to draw a response from Gaza, and vice versa. Therefore, the IDF's predawn operation in Qabatiyah on Monday, a day after the cease-fire in Gaza took effect - an operation that resulted in the deaths of a Popular Resistance Committees operative and a 55-year-old woman - was harmful and unnecessary. Anyone who wants to give the cease-fire a chance must impose maximum restraint on himself.
Israel should therefore declare it seeks a total cease-fire, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and the IDF should be ordered to hold its fire in both areas, if the Palestinians commit to a similar move. The fact, reported yesterday, that the IDF has already hastened to revise its new rules of engagement in the Gaza Strip in order to once again permit soldiers to open fire on Qassam rocket launchers will also not serve the efforts to consolidate the cease-fire. The Palestinians must be given a real opportunity to work to stop the Qassam fire. Given their complex situation, this cannot be done overnight."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/793995.html