Israel examining int'l treaty to isolate Hamas

[bemildred]

It is interesting to me that Israel seems to be willing to allow "peacekeepers" in Gaza, assuming it can get its other terms met. I've seen it come up in several places, from several sources, for several days now.

The United States has launched an international effort, which includes Israel, Egypt and the Palestinians, to formulate a ceasefire agreement that would neutralize Hamas' influence in the region, diplomatic sources in Jerusalem reported Sunday night.

The move will be carried out with the support of the international community.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke Sunday with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Quartet's Mideast Envoy Tony Blair, to discuss the possibility of promoting such a treaty.

According to Olmert, Israel is interested in a ceasefire agreement that would bring to an isolation of Hamas and include the following conditions: A stop to the rocket fire and the terror emanating from Gaza, as well as to Hamas' military buildup, and the deployment of international forces in the Gaza Strip to enforce the implementation of a truce.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3650522,00.html

[Duckhunter935]

1. Its a start

Israel said all along they just want the rockets to stop and Hamas has notstopped them. I think only an international peace force that has teeth might

[bemildred]

2. Well, Israel used to oppose peacekeepers inGaza, IIRC.

And I'm pretty sure that Hamas has at times asked to bring them in. So it seems a significant change. It does seems that it could be a good development, peacewise. It does echo what was done in Lebanon a bit, too.

[Arrowhead2k1]

3. Too bad they had to slaughter a whole bunch of human beings to come to this decision...

nt

[bemildred]

4. True. nt

[azurnoir]

19. So from the sounds of things the Israeli government is

thinking about, thinking about it wonder how long it will take them.

[Idealism]

5. Hamas has said they just want the blockade eased

Didn't let up, so the rockets started again.

[Duckhunter935]

7. And Israel

was trying to stop the rockets and suicide bombers.

Chicken and egg, does it really matter who was first

I hope they both just stop it already, they should both be sent to their rooms

[Idealism]

10. Problem is that it won't end with Hamas being marginalized in Gaza

The West Bank, which isn't connected to Hamas but run by the Palestinian Authority, is also being repressed and occupied. The conditions aren't as extreme as Gaza but year after year Palestinian farmers are being kicked off their land, which is crucial for their survival since Israel barred most Palestinians from working inside Israel. Because of this, unemployment in the West Bank has soared to over 50 percent.

[Duckhunter935]

14. I agree

This also needs to be addressed. It would be made easier if the Palistinians had one voice but there are alot of competing factions to deal with.

[Idealism]

15. Yeah, I was watching a CNN international interview with a PA spokesmen

He was telling the anchorwoman that "Israel needs to cease this action" etc. and she responded with "You are from the PA, not Hamas. How can you tell Israel to cease the action when you don't have any say in what goes on?" He didn't have much of a rebuttal, lol

[peacetalksforall]

6. I don't believe that either side is innocent. And Israel has received my last

ounce of sympathy. No more. I don't, I can't believe in massacres. No other act by humans is as serious and unforgiving as a massacre.

[Duckhunter935]

8. It is bad but

under 600 out of 1.4 million in that area is not a massacre

[varelse]

9. Yes, it is.

[peacetalksforall]

11. Yes, it is.

[Duckhunter935]

12. Not everyone is a civilian

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/05/africa/05mideast.php

In Gaza, residents faced severe power shortages and other deprivations and grew increasingly afraid as the reported death toll passed 500, of whom 100 were said to be civilians.

[Idealism]

13. Just how many people need to die before you think of it as a massacre??

May I remind you how many things we have in history that are named massacres that have less casualties than the current campaign in Gaza:

Wounded Knee Massacre
Saint Valentine's Day massacre
Boston Massacre
Montreal Massacre
Virginia Tech Massacre

Do these not qualify by your standards?

[Duckhunter935]

16. Oh yes they do

But it all depends on circumstances, in the middle of a shooting war in a congested area with uniformed fighters in among civilians, I do not think this is.

Those other examples are not exactly like this situation are they

We can always agree to disagree

[Idealism]

17. It is one thing to disagree about the situation of deaths

But you stated the number aspect, 600 out of 1.4 million doesn't seem enough to justify it being called thus. I was simply stating that numerically speaking, it is worse than what we have already dubbed a massacre to be.

[Duckhunter935]

18. Yes, I should of stated more than just numbers

There are many more factors involved here

[zonmoy]

20. You do realize that those are only the deaths that the israeli government will admit too.

undoubtedly plenty more than that that will be listed as missing or simply never counted as having even existed.