Mofaz: Abbas secures cease-fire with Hamas, Islamic Jihad

haaretz.com ^ | January 23, 2004 | Arnon Regular

[HAL9000]

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has secured an agreement with leading Palestinian militant groups for a cease-fire of about a month, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Sunday morning.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad had agreed to the cease-fire in return for a future role in the Palestinian Authority, Mofaz told Israel Radio in an interview.

"As far as we understand, there is an agreement between (Abbas) and the heads of Hamas and Islamic Jihad for a cease-fire for a certain period ... about a month," said Mofaz.

Officials from Abbas' Palestinian Authority and the two militant groups were not immediately available for comment on Mofaz's comments. Abbas has been holding cease-fire talks with militant factions in the Gaza Strip in the last few days.

Mofaz said Israel had made no promises but that the Israel Defense Forces would curtail its activities if there was a halt to more than four years of violence in a Palestinian uprising for statehood.

"As long as there is quiet there is no reason for us to act," he said.

Militants demand guarantees for formal cease-fire

Hamas and Islamic Jihad were conditioning agreement to a cease-fire on an enforceable Israeli pledge to end targeted killings, arrests and IDF operations in Palestinian areas of the Gaza Strip.

A mere Israeli promise is insufficient, the organizations said. They wanted serious guarantees that Israel will change its military policy in Gaza. They relayed this demand to Abbas (Abu Mazen) at a series of discussions about a truce that he held with senior Hamas, Jihad and Fatah leaders in Gaza last week.

In practice, all three organizations have already halted armed operations in Gaza, including Qassam launches at Sderot, in response to Abbas' decision to deploy PA security forces in northern Gaza last week. However, Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials had said on Saturday they will not formally agree to a cease-fire without an Israeli quid pro quo.

That is why, although Islamic Jihad agreed to halt its military activities de facto early last week, senior organization official Mohammed al-Hindi said Saturday that no cease-fire agreement had been reached. "We conditioned [an agreement] on the receipt of guarantees from the Israeli enemy, but Abu Mazen has not yet met with the Israelis and has obviously not received such guarantees," he said.

A Hamas spokesman, Moshir al-Masri, issued a similar statement Saturday.

[Marguerite]

"Haven't we been through all this before with Arafat - the soothing rhetoric of peace, the photo-ops at Camp David, the millions of dollars, all followed not by peace but by political thuggery, fiscal corruption, and more murdered Israelis? We have to learn that as long as terrorism even seems to pay dividends, terrorism will continue to be used as a tactic. And giving money and prestige to someone who refuses to destroy terrorists and calls them "martyrs," and who implicitly endorses terrorism as a legitimate tactic, is simply ensuring that indeed terrorism will be used."

http://victorhanson.com/articles/thornton011905.html

[elhombrelibre]

On the surface, this seems like good news. It also seems to indicate that Israel may have won what it wants - no violence. What remains to be seen is if these groups - Hamas and Islamic Jihad - will keep their word and if Abas can do anything about it if they don't. Time will tell. But on the whole, it sounds like a good start.

[elhombrelibre]

Ping

[elhombrelibre]

Ping

[RandallFlagg]

Should we start a pool to see how long until another bus gets blown up?

[DoughtyOne]

Terrorists are just plain nutty. They use all sorts of convoluted logic to justify their actions, then blame everyone else but themselves for continued violence.

The terrorists want promises that Israel will change it's ways. It's as if they think Israel is the cause for every terrorist act. Well I guess it is, because Israel refuses to be destroy. Perhaps they have a point.

Seriously, if the terrorists discontinue their violance, does anyone actually think Israel will continue to attack people on the West Bank or in Gaza? I don't.

I'd like to think Abbas is really trying to end the violence for his own people's sake. Even if he is, he may usher in nothing more than his own demise.

If the guy is sincere, I wish him all the luck in the world. He'll need it.

I realize that Abbas has a checkered past, perhaps even recent past. It does occur to me that sooner or later, some person is going to come along, that can't escape the conclusion that nothing is to be gained for the Palestinians by continuing to prepetuate a never-ending string of reprisals from Israel.

Let's hope this guy is the one. Trust, but verify!!!!

[Piranha]

A month? What in the world does that do?

[GaryMontana]

If I was Israel I would not give these terrorists a month to re-arm, train and regroup. Hit them, Hit them and hit them again.

Every time a terrorist blows up in Israel, Israel should not only destroy the family house it should say that they are also going to slaughter every member of that person's family in revenge and if that number did not equal the number of Israelis killed I would hit a palestinaian camp == saying you blow us up, we are going to do the same to you-- that is the price for your terrorism -- we are now going to terrorize you!!

[Sunsong]

Do you or anyone know what the "barrier" is scheduled to be completed?

I hope that these "promising signs" don't disuade the Israelis from finishing the "barrier".

[elhombrelibre]

I thought it was done. But I'm not certain.

[C210N]

Abbas has secured an agreement with leading Palestinian militant groups for a cease-fire of about a month...

Well, Hallelujah!!! Time to break out the Champagne! Time for Fireworks! Lets all shoot our Uzzis into the AIR!!!

... although, lets just save a little bit of the above in case cease-fire gets extended another month a month from now...

[Sunsong]

Thanks. Charles Krauthammer said a while ago that it was about half done. And I haven't heard since.

[thoughtomator]

I don't think they are capable of going two weeks at a time without murdering somebody, or at least trying to murder somebody.

[EternalVigilance]

When Abbas has KILLED them, I will believe he is serious about peace.

[elhombrelibre]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-wall09xjan09,0,1936046.story?coll=sfla-news-utility “The $3 billion, 437-mile phalanx of electronic fences, walls, trenches and patrol roads is the biggest public works project in Israel's history. About one-third of the structure is finished, with completion expected next year.”

Article is dated 9 Jan 05.

[eccl1212]

Let's hope this guy is the one. Trust, but verify!!!!

---

ah d-1.
ever the optimist.
That is: you say the glass if half full...
I say the glass is half full of hydrochloric acid.

This is only for the purpose of rearming and reinforcing, whilst they plan their next exploding bus or nailbomb in a pizza parlor trick.

But it WOULD be nice for wishes came true, and peaceful resolution came about.

[Marguerite]

" Hamas and Islamic Jihad had agreed to the cease-fire in return for a future role in the Palestinian Authority"

Oh, how nice. The fox in the chicken's coop!
Terrorism deserves no rewards or legitimacy

[Marguerite]

Abbas spokesman Shaath and Hamas spokesman Abu Zuhri deny 30-day ceasefire deal with Abbas. According to Zuhri, Hamas and Jihad Islami agreed only to study issue but will not halt operations until Israel pledges end of "occupation."

[Sunsong]

Thanks for the article. It's a good read. This quote is encouraging from the perspective of the Israelis sticking to their guns and finishing the "barrier":

Israeli leaders say they hope the barrier forces the Palestinians to elect new leadership in the wake of longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death, renounce terrorism and ultimately make peace with Israel.

Here's a link if anyone else wants to read it