Hamas prepared for 1-year truce with open borders

[azurnoir]

CAIRO (AP) -- Hamas officials said Tuesday they are ready to commit to a cease-fire with Israel for at least a year in exchange for a full opening of Gaza's borders, as the group began a new round of truce talks with Egyptian mediators.

"There is an agreement in principle about a calm for one year," said Ahmed Abdel-Hadi, a Lebanon-based Hamas official. "But the movement could show flexibility regarding the time ... if there are guarantees and commitments to lift the sanctions and open the borders," he told Gaza's Al Quds Radio, signaling the possibility of extending the truce beyond one year.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the Palestinian group is open to extending the cease-fire for 18 months.

Israel says it won't ease the 20-month blockade of the densely populated and impoverished coastal strip without international guarantees that Hamas will be prevented from smuggling more weapons into Gaza. It does not want any deal to give Hamas a role in controlling Gaza border crossings.

So Egypt has focused on what may be a more limited goal - installing forces loyal to Abbas at the border crossings. Egypt's proposals would include some form of symbolic Hamas presence at the crossings along with European monitors.

Barhoum said the key to any truce is that Egypt open its crossing with Gaza, but added that the details of running the crossing into Gaza are open to discussion.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_MIDEAST_DIPLOMACY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-02-03-17-14-09

[Vegasaurus]

1. Why listen to Hamas?

There is supposed to be a "truce" now, and there are still rockets and mortars being fired.

Hamas doesn't claim to be responsible for them, so they will continue not to be responsible for them during the next "calm",

There is no way Israel is going to open the borders while suicide bombers, terrorists and rocket launchers are aching to kill as many Jews as possible.

Hamas has to control the militants, and it has shown that it can't. Or won't.

[azurnoir]

2. When you take into consideration that a good chunk of those

rockets are being claimed by Fatah related groups it makes one wonder just what is going on.

[Idealism]

3. Israel has to restrain their own military first

Unilateral cease-fire declared: January 17,2009. All of these incidents happened after that point.

Firefights Reported in Gaza
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/159435
Reported: 08:45 AM - Jan/18/09

(IsraelNN.com) Firefights were reported in Gaza Sunday morning, despite the unilateral cease fire declared by Israel Saturday night. Some reports also said IDF helicopters were operating in the area.

Saturday night the security cabinet voted to declare a unilateral cease fire ending the IDF's attack in Operation Cast Lead. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated that the military had achieved its main goals in the operation. IDF forces remain in Gaza for now and can retun fire in self defense.

7 civilians injured by Israeli gunboat in Gaza, “We won’t accept this any longer”
http://ramallahonline.com/content/2824-7-civilians-injured-by-israeli-gunboat-in-gaza-we-wont-accept-this-any-longer

Ramallah, 22-01-09: Mustafa Barghouthi, the Secretary General of the Palestinian National initiative strongly condemns this morning Israeli naval attack on Gaza fishermen.

On Tuesday morning, the Israeli navy shelled the Northern shores of the Gaza Strip and opened fire on civilians, injuring 7 Palestinians including 5 fishermen.

“This shows once more that Israel’s so-called “withdrawal” as claimed by the Israeli officials and portrayed in the press, is no withdrawal at all. Israel remains in control of the border, land, sea and air of the Gaza Strip and are still continuing in their policy of siege and occupation over Gaza and the West Bank”, stated Mustafa Barghouthi.

If you don't like this source, here is http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/251873israeli-navy-opens-fire-on-palestinian-fishing-boats.html">another.

The next day, January 22nd, the http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/159697">IDF said it would "allow" Gazan's to fish... The Israeli Navy open fired on fishermen and shelled the northern coast of the Strip because impoverished and hungry people were trying to fish.

But, later on the 22nd, the Israeli Navy decided to attack another fishing vessel, saying that it was firing to "deter the fishing vessel, which had strayed off-limits."

Navy hurts Palestinian man, girl in Gaza
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1232292935124&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Jan 22, 2009 11:09 | Updated Jan 22, 2009 17:58

A Navy boat off the shores of Gaza City shot and wounded a man and a girl on Thursday morning, according to a Palestinian medical official.

The IDF confirmed the incident, and said it was firing to deter a Palestinian fishing vessel that had strayed off-limits

Gunboats have been firing off Gaza's shore for several days despite a cease-fire that has ended a three-week Israeli offensive against Gaza rocket operations aimed at Israel.

This violence was all perpetrated by the Israeli military unto Palestinians. There was no rocket or mortar attacks made in this period. If you disagree, please find me the proof and I will be happy to take back my sentiments that Israel has been the aggressor since the January 17th unilateral cease-fire.