Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire

[abezyo 35]

Just a bit from the article on NBC...a ceasefire has been agreed! This is good news for civilians on both sides, Palestinians and Israelis! Lets see if it holds up though...

By NBC News staff and wire reports

Updated at 12:48 p.m. ET: Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire, the Egyptian foreign minister said Wednesday, ending eight days of fighting that killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis.

The cease-fire is set to start at 9 p.m. Cairo time, Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr announced in a news conference alongside visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“The United States welcomes the agreement today for the cease-fire in Gaza," Clinton said, adding that Egypt's new government was exerting responsibility and leadership in the region.

"This is a critical moment for the region," she said.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the agreement.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Kudos to Egypt for stepping up!

“The United States welcomes the agreement today for the cease-fire in Gaza," Clinton said, adding that Egypt's new government was exerting responsibility and leadership in the region.

"This is a critical moment for the region," she said.

Not that she or the US had anything to do with it. By US law, the US is forbidden from recognizing Hamas, or directly negotiating with them. A photo op with Netanyahu, then another with Abbas did nothing.

[^_^ 5,021]

Ceasefire until Hamas figures out how to beat Iron Dome. Why waste perfectly good rockets?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[quote name=' timestamp='1353522981' post='5835986]

Ceasefire until Hamas figures out how to beat Iron Dome. Why waste perfectly good rockets?

Or, manufactures a few more. Hezbollah has like 50,000 rockets in Lebanon. Israel has been reluctant to antagonize them directly. I suspect things will remain relatively calm until Palestine gets its vote in the UN next week.

Palestinian statehood wins European backing

A majority of Europeans want their governments to vote for Palestinian recognition at the UN, latest polls reveal.

Overwhelming majorities in the UK and other western European countries believe Palestinians should have their own state and want their governments to vote for recognition of Palestine at the United Nations at the end of the month, according to latest polls.

Among Britons questioned, 72% said the Palestinians had a right to statehood, against only 6% who disagreed. When it came to the British vote on recognition at the UN general assembly on 29 November, 58% were in favour of a yes vote, against 8% who said the UK should vote no. Similar widelarge majorities were found in polls in Germany, France and Spain. The online polls were commissioned by Avaaz, the pro-democracy advocacy group, and carried out by YouGov in Britain and Germany, Ifop in France and Metroscopia in Spain. They took place earlier this month, on a sample size of 1,635 adults in the UK, and more than 1,000 in the other countries.

Of the four countries polled, Spain is expected to support Palestinian recognition, France has said it will not rule it out, and UK and Germany have given no clear indication. Israel has been intensively lobbying EU states against recognition and has issued threats against the Palestinian leadership, including saying it will seek to overthrow the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, if the general assembly vote goes ahead.

The Palestinians are expected to win the vote, but Israel is anxious that major European powers do not support the resolution, in an effort to reduce the "moral authority" implied by a United Nations vote.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/19/palestinian-statehood-wins-european-backing

[^_^ 5,021]

Of course they have a right to statehood. But since when do people get everything they have a right to? Life ain't fair and as long as Hamas/Hizballah keep giving Israel reason to believe a Palestinian state would pose an existential threat to Israel, Israel won't allow it. And they shouldn't.

Edited November 21, 2012 by ^_^

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[quote name=' timestamp='1353523766' post='5835999]

Of course they have a right to statehood. But since when do people get everything they have a right to? Life ain't fair and as long as Hamas/Hizballah keep giving Israel reason to believe a Palestinian state would pose an existential threat to Israel, Israel won't allow it. And they shouldn't.

Fatah is on its way out anyways, so Abbas won't last much longer. Netanyahu is just forcing the Palestinians to harden their resolve. Netanyahu would rather have Hamas control the West Bank as well. That would keep the US out of his neighborhood.

Edited November 21, 2012 by The Patriot

[Darnell 8,478]

Thank You Egypt.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Goooo Ceasefire!!!!!