Israel to seek Gaza peace deal

[ProgressiveMuslim]

By Isabel Kershner Published: June 11, 2008

JERUSALEM: The Israeli security cabinet voted Wednesday to pursue an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire with Palestinian militant groups in Gaza, while leaving open the possibility of a military offensive should the truce talks fail.

"The security cabinet decided this morning to support Egyptian efforts to achieve calm in the south and end the daily targeting of Israeli civilians by the terrorists in Gaza," said Mark Regev, a spokesman for the prime minister.

"In parallel the security cabinet instructed the military to continue its preparations in the unfortunate event that the Egyptian track should prove to be unsuccessful," Regev said.

The decision, after hours of deliberations, essentially left the Israelis in waiting mode despite public pressure for immediate action to halt the Palestinian rocket and mortar fire that plagues southern Israel.

Violence continued even as the cabinet met: Militants fired mortars from Gaza, and three Palestinians were reported killed in subsequent Israeli strikes, including a 9-year-old girl.

The girl, identified as Hadeel al-Smeiri, was hit by a tank shell in the backyard of her home near the border fence east of Khan Yunis, one of her relatives told The Associated Press. A militant belonging to Hamas, the Islamic group that controls Gaza, and a 60-year-old Palestinian civilian were also killed in Israeli strikes, a Gaza medical official said.


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http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/11/mideast/mideast.php

[peacetalksforall]

1. I don't believe the leaders of Israel any longer. Are those nails pounding

in the background? More construction? It doesn't make any difference which border and which group of people are across the border - it's all the same tactics year after year. The announcement of peace talks wore off a while back. Same to some degree for the other side.

Can't get excited anymore. How does that translate? Nearly maxed out on the credibility meter. Can't get the bell to ring anymore.