Israeli Leader Rejects Palestinian Truce

wral.com ^ | July 8 2006 | None attributed

[prairiebreeze]

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- The Hamas-led Palestinian government called for a cease-fire in its violent two-week standoff with Israel but stopped short Saturday of offering to release an Israeli soldier held by Hamas militants. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected the proposal by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. Olmert will not agree to a truce until Hamas releases the soldier, officials in Olmert's office said.

Earlier, an Israeli Cabinet minister said Israel hopes the fighting, which has killed more than 40 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier, eventually will lead to a broader cease-fire deal.

In fighting Saturday, Israeli troops exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen, and army bulldozers searched for militants' tunnels near Gaza City. In northern Gaza, tanks pulled out of the town of Beit Lahiya, leaving a wide swath of destruction after trying to carve out a buffer zone against rockets there.

Israel's two-week military campaign, prompted by the abduction of Cpl. Gilad Shalit has put the Hamas government under growing pressure. Israel has arrested several Palestinian Cabinet ministers and Hamas lawmakers. On Saturday, Haniyeh issued a five-point cease-fire proposal, calling on Israel to halt its offensive and release prisoners but saying little about what Hamas is prepared to do in return. "If we want to get out of the current crisis, it is necessary to return to calm, on the basis of a mutual halt to all military operations," said a statement issued by Cabinet spokesman Ghazi Hamad in Haniyeh's name.

Hamas also urged Israel to open negotiations over the fate of Shalit, 19. However, Hamas often sends out conflicting signals, partly because of divisions between a more militant leadership in Syria and more pragmatic politicians in Gaza. Israel has largely held the Hamas political chief, Syrian-based Khaled Mashaal, responsible for the soldier's kidnapping.

[prairiebreeze]

Palestinians run past a burning tire to avoid Israeli sniper fire during an Israeli army incursion in Beit Lahiya, in the northen Gaza Strip, Friday July 7, 2006. At least twenty-four Palestinians and one Israeli soldier were killed in fighting that broke out in the Gaza Strip after Israeli tanks and troops, backed by aircraft, seized control of a ribbon of land in the northern part of Gaza in an attempt to win freedom for a captured soldier and put Israel out of the militants' increasingly longer rocket range.

[cpdiii]

"Israeli soldier held by Hamas militants."

What is the difference between Hamas the government and Hamas militants? If there is any coordination between the two it is one and the same thus making the government of Gaza complicit in the kidnapping. That is an act of war.

[DejaJude]

In other words, we are losing at a ratio of 24 to 1. Let's do another of those truces where our troops cease fire but our martyrs continue firing.

[prairiebreeze]

Another line from the article:

Israel has arrested several Palestinian Cabinet ministers and Hamas lawmakers.

Hamas lawmakers....oxymoron alert!

[Recovering Hermit]

Earlier, an Israeli Cabinet minister said Israel hopes the fighting, which has killed more than 40 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier, eventually will lead to a broader cease-fire deal.

Yep. That's usually the way it works.

[Salem]

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