Abbas: Israel has agreed to cease-fire with Hamas

[Phx_Dem]

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday told the Arabic-language al Arabiya television network that Israel had in fact agreed to a cease-fire with Hamas, contradicting comments made earlier by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who insisted that no cease-fire agreement had been made.

The discussion regarding a possible cease-fire was ignited after Qassam rocket fire from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Israel Defense Forces strikes subsided over the past days.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/962403.html

[Phx_Dem]

1. I hope this is true

A ceasefire is better than nothing.

[pelsar]

2. so what changed....

The senior government official said that in effect, the unofficial ground rules covered three possible scenarios:

* If the rocket fire stops completely, so will IDF operations in Gaza.

* If Palestinians fire only at Sderot and other communities near Gaza, Israel will respond primarily with aerial assaults.

* If rockets hit Ashkelon, Israel will respond with ground operations like last week's, in which over 100 Palestinians were killed
_____

lets see if i understand: hamas doesnt shoot rockets...and the IDF doesnt shoot back..........i wonder what made them suddenly decide to stop shooting after over 2 years of constant almost daily attacks?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. I think that Israel has learned that they can't win this militarily.

That's the conclusion I'd draw.

[Scurrilous]

3. Good news!

:thumbsup:

[azurnoir]

4. Good news indeed

and even Abbas got a "bone" in being the one to announce it, hopefully

[LeftishBrit]

5. Glad to hear this - fingers crossed!

[oberliner]

6. No agreement on truce with Hamas, says Olmert

Prime minister denies reports of ceasefire agreement between Israel, Hamas, adds IDF enjoys 'free hand' in Gaza Strip. 'If terror stops – IDF will halt strikes,' he states. Olmert says Israel wants peace with Syria

"There is no agreement and there are no direct or indirect talks," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday, referring to reports of understandings reached between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire in Gaza.

"The IDF enjoys complete freedom of action, we have not dictated any ceasefire," Olmert stressed, adding that to the best of his knowledge, "Egypt has no mandate to try and reach a truce agreement with Hamas."

Speaking at a press conference following his meeting with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek in Jerusalem, Olmert said that the IDF was not looking for excuses to strike in Gaza. "We fight because they fight against us," he stated.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3517307,00.html

[ProgressiveMuslim]

7. Good. Now let's get Hamas & Fatah back on the same page. nt

[Scurrilous]

9. Report: Israel wants month-long truce with Hamas

Jerusalem to declare official ceasefire with Palestinians should 'trial period' pass without additional rocket attacks from Gaza and Palestinians refrain from digging arms-smuggling tunnels, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reports

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3517677,00.html

<snip>

"Senior Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad has relayed to Egypt Israel's request for a month-long unofficial ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza before reaching a final decision on the matter, London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Tuesday.

According to Al-Hayat, also published in London, Gilad conveyed the request for the 30-day 'trial period' during his meeting with the head of Egyptian intelligence, General Omar Suleiman, on Sunday.

According to a senior Palestinian source who asked to remain anonymous, Israel said it would officially announce that it accepts Egypt's call for a ceasefire should the trial period pass without Palestinian attacks from Gaza. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has remained in close contact with Egypt to make certain that an official truce would include the West Bank as well, the source said.

A source in Cairo said Gilad conditioned Israel's agreement to a ceasefire on "an end to the Palestinian rocket fire and an end to the digging of weapons-smuggling tunnels".

The source estimated that an official ceasefire agreement won't be finalized before the Arab League summit in Damascus, scheduled for the end of March."