Israel to Ease Gaza Blockade in 3 Days If Truce Holds

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

By Jonathan Ferziger and Gwen Ackerman

June 19 (Bloomberg) -- Israel said it will ease its economic blockade of the Gaza Strip in three days if a cease- fire with Hamas that went into effect today holds.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will go to Egypt June 24 for talks with President Hosni Mubarak, whose aides brokered the truce. Israel will keep the frontier shut unless Hamas releases its captive soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, a government spokesman said.

``If the calm holds, you will see the start of a process of liberalization in the economic sanctions at the very beginning of next week,'' Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said. He added, though, ``there will be no normalization of the crossings unless Gilad Shalit is freed.''

Both sides expressed skepticism that their agreement would last, with Olmert describing it yesterday as fragile. Gaza was mostly quiet since the Egyptian-mediated cease-fire started at 6 a.m., according to the Israeli army and Hamas officials. Olmert's talks with Mubarak will center on disputes over border crossings and prisoners.

About an hour before the cease-fire, Israeli aircraft killed a Palestinian who was preparing to launch a rocket over the border, according to the army and the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters today the movement will adhere to the cease-fire terms. Business owners expressed disappointment it will probably take until next week before Israel allows required amounts of fuel and other supplies into the territory. Hamas leaders earlier said it would take a few hours after the truce takes effect.

Business Plea

``We hope that by Sunday we'll receive the normal amounts of diesel and petrol,'' Mahmoud al-Khozendar, deputy president of the union of gas stations in Gaza, said in an interview.

Commercial restrictions on Gaza and a corruption probe into Olmert led to the cease-fire, but there's little likelihood of a settlement between Israel and a movement sworn to its destruction, said Gerald Steinberg, a political scientist at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan.

``Hamas is gambling that it can strengthen itself for another round six months or a year from now,'' Steinberg said. ``Olmert is gambling he can save his government.''

The cease-fire was agreed upon after months of indirect talks with Egyptian mediators between Israel and Hamas, which seized control of Gaza a year ago after sharing power with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The militant Muslim group is classified a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S. and European Union.

`Collision Course'

``Historically, we are on a collision course with Hamas, but seizing this opportunity does make some sense,'' Barak said in an interview with France's Le Monde. ``If it's broken, we'll have greater legitimacy. If it holds, it's an opportunity to protect our citizens exposed to rocket fire, and to free the soldier Shalit.''

About 4,300 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel in the 12 months since Hamas took over, and four Israelis were killed in the attacks, according to the Israeli army spokesman's office. More than 570 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids and limited ground incursions against rocket launchers and militants, according to Gaza human rights organizations.

Ismail Haniya, the top Hamas leader in Gaza who was deposed as prime minister of the authority, said yesterday he hopes Abbas will soon make his first visit to the territory in more than a year.

Egypt has invited representatives of Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and the EU to Cairo June 26 for talks on opening the southern Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar told reporters yesterday. In parallel, Egypt will mediate talks between Israel and Hamas on a deal that could free Shalit, he said. Hamas wants more than 1,400 Palestinians freed from Israeli jails in exchange.

Olmert said yesterday that the truce will be ``fragile and may be very short.'' Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters that it ``doesn't mean the end of resistance.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...mp;refer=europe

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Translation: on 2008/06/28 sometime between 08:52 and 09:51 EDT, rockets will again be fired at Israel from Gaza Strip.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Translation: on 2008/06/28 sometime between 08:52 and 09:51 EDT, rockets will again be fired at Israel from Gaza Strip.

hamas could fark up a wet dream.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Translation: on 2008/06/28 sometime between 08:52 and 09:51 EDT, rockets will again be fired at Israel from Gaza Strip.

hamas cwould fark up a wet dream.

edited.

(of course, Fatah would also fire rockets--though it would wait till 10:52 EDT)

[Nagishkaw 510]

HAMAS - Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement, a fundamentalist group that rejects all discussion of peace with Israel, including the current Israeli-PLO negotiations. Responsible for many terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and Palestinian so-called "collaborators" with Israel, Hamas states in its covenant that "[t]he Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees." Recent evidence has indicated that Hamas carries out substantial fundraising and organizational work in the United States. On December 28, 2002, Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is quoted in Al-Ayyam as saying, "The jihad and suicide bombings will continue - the Zionist entity will reach its end in the first quarter of the current century. It is therefore up to you [Muslim holy fighters] to be patient - the Hamas takes upon itself the liberation of all Palestinian land from the sea to the river in the Rafah [in the south] and until Rosh Hanikra [in the north]."

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Let us all pls focus our hearts, our minds, and our words towards peace there.

[Sister Fracas 5]

Let us all pls focus our hearts, our minds, and our words towards peace there.

what a refreshing concept

[almaty 19]

Let us all pls focus our hearts, our minds, and our words towards peace there.

what a refreshing concept

amen to that...

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

HAMAS - Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement, a fundamentalist group that rejects all discussion of peace with Israel, including the current Israeli-PLO negotiations. Responsible for many terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and Palestinian so-called "collaborators" with Israel, Hamas states in its covenant that "[t]he Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees." Recent evidence has indicated that Hamas carries out substantial fundraising and organizational work in the United States. On December 28, 2002, Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is quoted in Al-Ayyam as saying, "The jihad and suicide bombings will continue - the Zionist entity will reach its end in the first quarter of the current century. It is therefore up to you [Muslim holy fighters] to be patient - the Hamas takes upon itself the liberation of all Palestinian land from the sea to the river in the Rafah [in the south] and until Rosh Hanikra [in the north]."

Well, look up the party platforms of Likud, Kadima and Shas (for starters) and see what they have to say about a Palestinian state, and what their leaders have advocated be done to the Palestinian people. Heck take a look at the Old Testament -- a whole lot of talk about smiting "the other guy" going on there, too -- as in kill their women, kill their kids, kill their sheep, kill their little dogs too.... but keep all the young girls for yourself.

Insha'allah there will be peace. And lasting peace is based on international law and justice, not zealotry.