Israel accepts Egyptian cease-fire plan

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By JOSEF FEDERMAN

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Hamas on Monday accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal meant to halt a monthlong war, signaling an end to the bloodiest round of fighting between the bitter enemies could finally be approaching.

The sides said a preliminary 72-hour truce was to begin at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) Tuesday. Egypt was then set to host indirect talks to work out a long-term truce over the next three days.

A delegation of Palestinian officials from various factions, including Hamas, has been negotiating with Egypt in recent days. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the group had accepted the plan.

"It's clear now that the interest of all parties is to have a cease-fire," said Bassam Salhi, a member of the Palestinian delegation. "It's going to be tough negotiations because Israel has demands too."

FULL story at link. Graphic photo at link!



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140804/ml--israel-palestinians-3ccbb27161.html

[msanthrope]

1. Please. nt

[840high]

2. Good.

[HERVEPA]

3. Nice of you to add a graphic photo to a hopeful article about truce.

We've seen the photos. Yes they're gruesome. Yes it's horrible what's happening.
But you couldn't just leave it at the hopeful note, could you?

[Omaha Steve]

6. I had to add a warning for the LBN story this AM about the bus attack same photo

That is why I decided not to add the photo to the OP.

[HERVEPA]

8. Got it. Thanks.

[JDPriestly]

4. Pray for peace.

"It's clear now that the interest of all parties is to have a cease-fire," said Bassam Salhi, a member of the Palestinian delegation. "It's going to be tough negotiations because Israel has demands too."

The war broke out on July 8 when Israel launched an air campaign in response to heavy rocket fire out of Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israel expanded the operation by sending in ground forces on July 17 in what it described as a mission to destroy a network of tunnels used by Hamas militants to stage attacks. The army said it is close to destroying the last of the tunnels.

Several previous cease-fires have collapsed, including a similar plan for a 72-hour truce that broke down last Friday in heavy fighting. Both sides blamed each other.

An Israeli official said Israel would respect the cease-fire, but that it was watching the negotiations "with a certain amount of skepticism" given the previous failures.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140804/ml--israel-palestinians-3ccbb27161.html

[regnaD kciN]

5. I wonder how many minutes this one will last?

[daleo]

7. I think this will last a couple of years

Neither side can win, militarily. Each has suffered, each can claim it made the other suffer. The world is getting fed up enough, that it might just start doing something about it. That's a concern, especially for Israel.

So they will rest a while, like all the other times, to go at it again in 2017 or thereabouts.

[hack89]

17. Hamas will be shooting rockets within weeks

once it is clear that the blockade against weapons will not be lifted.

[daleo]

22. But Israel doesn't have to respond with large scale warfare

I do think both sides want and named a long breather.

[hack89]

24. No - just airstrikes. nt

[MFM008]

27. i believe so

They cant goback to the status quo.......again.

[leftynyc]

18. Militarily Israel could raze the

entire strip in 1/2 hour so, yes if Israel were completely unconcerned about civilians, they could win militarily. All this is going to do is stop the immediate fighting and allow hamas to buy more missiles and dig more tunnels.

[daleo]

23. World reaction and Israel's own political realities preclude a military solution of that scale

I think the current round of major hostilities has about exhausted itself for now.

[Uncle Joe]

9. I hope this lasts and leads to successful peace talks, it's the most logical path.

Thanks for the thread, Omaha Steve.

[oberliner]

13. Amen

Here's to that!

[Steviehh]

10. Mossad, CIA

How could the Mossad and CIA after rigging things miss the rockets and tunnels? Something is wrong here. And IS, the caliphate. They will have to pledge to the Russians to hold that territory.

What a fine mess.

[Deny and Shred]

11. Serious question

If we assume the cease-fire holds, how long until construction starts on Israeli settlements in Palestinian land?

My guess is no more than six months. Slaughter or settlements is the recurring choice for Palestine, and I see no reason at all to think it will stop now.

[oberliner]

12. You know there are no settlements in Gaza right?

And there won't be any after the cease fire, either.

The West Bank is another story.

[Deny and Shred]

14. I know.

I didn't mention Gaza. Then again, a Likud deputy minister in the Knesset called for conquest and annihilation of Gaza. Nobody can say for ceratin what happens from here.

Do you think settlement-building is finished?

[oberliner]

15. OK

Sadly, I don't think settlement-building is finished in the West Bank - but it ought to be.

I support the Geneva Initiative:

http://www.geneva-accord.org/

[onenote]

20. Answering question with a question:

Do you think the situation in Gaza today would be the same if the PA was the governing authority, not Hamas?

[Deny and Shred]

25. Perhaps

Sorry for the late response.

Maybe Israel would have behaved the same way, but I have to believe in the name of humanity that they might have listened to Fatah, PA, Al-maliki, ...

I think an organized, unified Palestine is the last thing Israel wants. Israel knows they have the hammer, and they don't want to listen to compromises. All land West of the Jordan River was/is/has been/will continue to be .... the goal.

All they need to do at any time is inflame the situation. Force favors the well-armed.

[MFM008]

28. there isnt enough room

for someone to spit in Gaza.

[oberliner]

29. There used to be 21 Israeli settlements in Gaza

They were all removed several years ago.

[IDemo]

16. Israel declares 'mission accomplished' as troops leave Gaza for cease-fire

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/05/world/meast/mideast-crisis/

Because that always works out well in the end.

[Iamthetruth]

19. And five minutes before the ceasefire

Hamas fires a dozen rockets into Israel. That's he spirit!

[kelliekat44]

21. If they are asking for Hamas to give up their weapons while Israel does not...it's over before it's

started.

[riverwalker]

26. it's dated Aug 4th ? n/t