Monday
Jan262009
The Latest from Israel-Gaza-Palestine (26 January)
Monday, January 26, 2009 at 6:20
Earlier Updates and Links to Posts: The Latest from Israel-Gaza-Palestine (25 January)
10:10 p.m. So We're Hopeless at Diplomacy but....The European Union on Monday put itself firmly behind the US- and Israeli-led plan to block arms shipments to Gaza: ""The EU welcomes the commitment of the United States to contribute to stopping arms smuggling into Gaza and is prepared to identify ways to cooperate in such efforts."
An internal EU paper proposed that European help could include training of security forces, provision of necessary specialised equipment and, a curious and unclear provision, "the creation of alternative incomes".
10 p.m. President Bashir al-Assad, pressing his advantage from Syria's position in the Gaza conflict, has said that there can be talks with Israel but only on Damascus' terms, "If whoever is elected in Israel won't be willing to pull out of the Golan Heights, there will be no negotiations." He added:
Assad took a no-cost shot at outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, "If Olmert were to come to me today and say that he was ready for peace, what could we tell him? We would tell him that he is a criminal and that we don't talk to criminals."
And the sharp-eyed might care to notice Assad's choice of outlet for his statement: Hezbollah's Al-Manar Television.
6:30 p.m. Reuters, summarising what we've been saying since the start of the Gaza conflict, observes, "Syria eyes strategic gains after Gaza war." A Damascus official lays out the new order: "The stiff resistance in Gaza has proved that Hamas is a political force to be reckoned with. There is a new regional reality and more countries are supporting this view. Turkey is one important player."
5 p.m. Extending the European Union's record of clumsy diplomacy in the Gaza conflict, the EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, said today, "I intentionally say this here - Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such." Michel made the statement as he toured the town of Jabaliya, which suffered extensive casualties and damage during the Israeli bombardment.
Michel's statement is particularly inopportune, amidst the talks in Cairo seeking cease-fire proposal, as the EU's Javier Solana travels to the Middle East to meet President Obama's envoy George Mitchell and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
4:45 p.m. Turkish Manoeuvres. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, having distanced Turkey from Israel at the start of the Gaza conflict and thus moving closer to Syria and Iran, has taken another public step today. Speaking to the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat, Erdogan said, "Hamas, without a doubt, erred by firing rockets at Israel, but immediately added:
We must consider that Hamas fully abided by the truce agreement with Israel for six months, even though Israel did not. Israel didn't do anything to lift the blockade and open the crossings despite the agreement, and provoked Hamas and Gazans.
Erdogan offered Turkish forces to monitor borders "if they are required to stabilize the truce between Hamas and Israel". He made clear, however, that Hamas had to be recognised openly and, possibly with an eye to the movement's strengthening political position, that "everyone must honor the [forthcoming] Palestinian Authority elections."
In a parting shot at Tel Aviv, Erdogan said, "I am not against the Israeli people, but I am against its political leadership and those who back barbaric killing."
3:30 p.m. Reconciliation? Amidst a relatively quiet day, a possible breakthrough: Hamas and Fatah officials have met for the first time in 10 months. Jamal Abu Hashem of Hamas and Azzam al-Ahmed of Fatah held the discussions as part of the talks in Cairo seeking proposals on a cease-fire and opening of border crossings.
Of course, this is only a small step forward: al-Ahmed told a press conference, "I agreed with [Abu Hashem] in a clear way to have another meeting."
9:30 a.m. A reader, noting yesterday's story that the Israeli Government has authorised a legal defence team for any military officers accused of war crimes, has asked us about the background to the story.
A search on Enduring America for "white phosphorous", "dense inert metal explosives", or "Spike missile" and glance at the stories will give you some idea of the scale of the allegations against Israel. For example, this was our first reference to Israel's apparent use of white phosphorous against civilians, posted on 5 January, two days after the Israeli ground invasion:
8 a.m. Israel/Gaza/Palestine time: No Israeli reaction yet to yesterday's news of a Hamas offer of a 12-month cease-fire, including an opening of border crossings and European Union and Turkish monitors.
Our colleagues at Alive in Gaza have posted an audio update and photographs from photojournalist Sameh Habeeb, "Empty Tunnels and Terrorist Chickens".
10:10 p.m. So We're Hopeless at Diplomacy but....The European Union on Monday put itself firmly behind the US- and Israeli-led plan to block arms shipments to Gaza: ""The EU welcomes the commitment of the United States to contribute to stopping arms smuggling into Gaza and is prepared to identify ways to cooperate in such efforts."
An internal EU paper proposed that European help could include training of security forces, provision of necessary specialised equipment and, a curious and unclear provision, "the creation of alternative incomes".
10 p.m. President Bashir al-Assad, pressing his advantage from Syria's position in the Gaza conflict, has said that there can be talks with Israel but only on Damascus' terms, "If whoever is elected in Israel won't be willing to pull out of the Golan Heights, there will be no negotiations." He added:
We held talks with Israel over recent weeks, but Israel did not convey its commitment to peace talks, and it became clear that they only understand the language of force.
Assad took a no-cost shot at outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, "If Olmert were to come to me today and say that he was ready for peace, what could we tell him? We would tell him that he is a criminal and that we don't talk to criminals."
And the sharp-eyed might care to notice Assad's choice of outlet for his statement: Hezbollah's Al-Manar Television.
6:30 p.m. Reuters, summarising what we've been saying since the start of the Gaza conflict, observes, "Syria eyes strategic gains after Gaza war." A Damascus official lays out the new order: "The stiff resistance in Gaza has proved that Hamas is a political force to be reckoned with. There is a new regional reality and more countries are supporting this view. Turkey is one important player."
5 p.m. Extending the European Union's record of clumsy diplomacy in the Gaza conflict, the EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, said today, "I intentionally say this here - Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such." Michel made the statement as he toured the town of Jabaliya, which suffered extensive casualties and damage during the Israeli bombardment.
Michel's statement is particularly inopportune, amidst the talks in Cairo seeking cease-fire proposal, as the EU's Javier Solana travels to the Middle East to meet President Obama's envoy George Mitchell and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
4:45 p.m. Turkish Manoeuvres. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, having distanced Turkey from Israel at the start of the Gaza conflict and thus moving closer to Syria and Iran, has taken another public step today. Speaking to the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat, Erdogan said, "Hamas, without a doubt, erred by firing rockets at Israel, but immediately added:
We must consider that Hamas fully abided by the truce agreement with Israel for six months, even though Israel did not. Israel didn't do anything to lift the blockade and open the crossings despite the agreement, and provoked Hamas and Gazans.
Erdogan offered Turkish forces to monitor borders "if they are required to stabilize the truce between Hamas and Israel". He made clear, however, that Hamas had to be recognised openly and, possibly with an eye to the movement's strengthening political position, that "everyone must honor the [forthcoming] Palestinian Authority elections."
In a parting shot at Tel Aviv, Erdogan said, "I am not against the Israeli people, but I am against its political leadership and those who back barbaric killing."
3:30 p.m. Reconciliation? Amidst a relatively quiet day, a possible breakthrough: Hamas and Fatah officials have met for the first time in 10 months. Jamal Abu Hashem of Hamas and Azzam al-Ahmed of Fatah held the discussions as part of the talks in Cairo seeking proposals on a cease-fire and opening of border crossings.
Of course, this is only a small step forward: al-Ahmed told a press conference, "I agreed with [Abu Hashem] in a clear way to have another meeting."
9:30 a.m. A reader, noting yesterday's story that the Israeli Government has authorised a legal defence team for any military officers accused of war crimes, has asked us about the background to the story.
A search on Enduring America for "white phosphorous", "dense inert metal explosives", or "Spike missile" and glance at the stories will give you some idea of the scale of the allegations against Israel. For example, this was our first reference to Israel's apparent use of white phosphorous against civilians, posted on 5 January, two days after the Israeli ground invasion:
6:30 p.m. Following story in The Times of London that Israel used white phosphorous bombs to cover its ground invasion, Moussa el-Haddad, Gaza resident and father of blogger Laila el-Haddad (”Gazamom”), reports “series of bombs in a row, followed by a large white halo, white smoke; people in vicinity cannot breathe…irritation, and exposed areas [of body] become red, blistered, and itchy".
8 a.m. Israel/Gaza/Palestine time: No Israeli reaction yet to yesterday's news of a Hamas offer of a 12-month cease-fire, including an opening of border crossings and European Union and Turkish monitors.
Our colleagues at Alive in Gaza have posted an audio update and photographs from photojournalist Sameh Habeeb, "Empty Tunnels and Terrorist Chickens".
tagged Al-Manar, Alive in Gaza, Azzam al-Ahmad, Barack Obama, Bashir al-Assad, Ehud Olmert, European Union, Fatah, Gaza, George Mitchell, Hamas, Hosni Mubarak, Israel, Jamal Abu Hashem, Javier Solana, Louis Michel, Palestine, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Robert Wood, Sameh Habeeb, Spike missiles, Syria, Tunnels, Turkey, dense inert metal explosives, white phosphorous, white phosphorus in Middle East & Iran
Al-Manar, Alive in Gaza, Azzam al-Ahmad, Barack Obama, Bashir al-Assad, Ehud Olmert, European Union, Fatah, Gaza, George Mitchell, Hamas, Hosni Mubarak, Israel, Jamal Abu Hashem, Javier Solana, Louis Michel, Palestine, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Robert Wood, Sameh Habeeb, Spike missiles, Syria, Tunnels, Turkey, dense inert metal explosives, white phosphorous, white phosphorus in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (6)
From http://www.jihadwatch.org/
In 2008, Khaled Mashaal himself said of cease-fires: "it is a tactic in conducting the struggle. ... It is normal for any resistance that operates in its people's interest ... to sometimes escalate, other times retreat a bit. ... The battle is to be run this way and Hamas is known for that."
Additionally, there are the prescriptions of Islamic law. From Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of the Traveler), a Shafi'i Islamic jurisprudence manual certified as "reliable" by Egypt's Al-Azhar University:
'Truces are permissible, not obligatory....Interests that justify making a truce are such things as Muslim weakness because of lack of numbers or materiel, or the hope of an enemy becoming Muslim...If the Muslims are weak, a truce may be made for ten years if necessary, for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) made a truce with the Quraysh for that long, as is related by Abu Dawud....The rulings of such a truce are inferable from those of the non-Muslim poll tax; namely, that when a valid truce has been effected, no harm may be done to non-Muslims until it expires. o9.16'
I think you, and I, are probably unqualified to incorporate Islamic law into our analysis.
What is the logical conclusion of your analysis- that Israel should not accept this ceasefire?
"What is the logical conclusion of your analysis- that Israel should not accept this ceasefire?"
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I'm glad I don't have to make that decision.
I'm glad you don't too ;)
Chris,
Hamas needs time to re-arm. I believe that is the whole point of the truce.
I agree that Hamas will feel it has no alternative to re-arm and to some extent its public image require it to. I have no doubt that it will be able to.
However, even if that is so- surely there is no alternative to a truce?
The alternative implies that there is military solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Any diplomatic initiative will only succeed after a sustained ceasefire. The real question is can this be achieved...