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Last update - 09:05 08/07/2008 Maintaining the cease-fire By Haaretz Editorial Tags: israel, Cease-fire The Qassams that have continued to land in Israel since the cease-fire agreement have given rise to the feeling that the cease-fire is about to collapse. Personal security, the main objective of the cease-fire, is still lacking in Sderot and its environs. The Israel Defense Forces is already recommending responding with force to the Qassam strikes. If it emerges the Palestinian side is incapable of keeping its commitments, it is possible that in the near future the Israeli government will once again ponder a military attack on the Gaza Strip. However, before the government turns to canceling the deals that were struck, it is essential to distinguish between the aims that were set and the ability to fulfill all of them at once. When Israel decided to sign the cease-fire agreement with Hamas and the other Palestinian organizations, the working assumption was that those organizations would honor their commitment and compel other splinter organizations to keep the same commitment, even by force. Advertisement Hamas has kept its commitment thus far. Islamic Jihad broke it after Israel killed a few of its members in the West Bank; it then adopted the cease-fire again. The latest Qassam was reportedly fired by a Fatah-affiliated group, which apparently strived to undermine belief in Hamas' ability to control things on the ground. Alongside all this, Hamas' public effort to fully keep its commitment is evident. The Hamas mufti has called anyone who fires a Qassam a "criminal," and its leadership is declaring that the Qassams damage Palestinian interests. While other organizations have not condemned the firing, they have stressed they are sticking to the deal. There is no doubt that Hamas, like the other organizations, and like Israel, has a great interest in maintaining the current cease-fire. At the same time, there is no doubt that organizations, gangs and even Fatah elements are interested in torpedoing the agreement or are claiming the right to veto decisions by Hamas. Ostensibly Israel could turn its back on the internal Palestinian disputes and say it is none of its business to examine who is breaking or observing the cease-fire. As far as Israel is concerned, Hamas and the other organizations are responsible for the agreement and any violation of it constitutes its revocation. However, the reality in Gaza was not invisible to Israel when it adopted the agreement. Israel knew it would take some time before Israeli airspace would be hermetically sealed to the Qassams. This is why the cease-fire is based on two stages, and the first stage has been extended for six months. This does not mean Israel must sit on its hands and do nothing for six months, absorbing Qassams with no response just so the cease-fire will be observed on its part. However, it must allow the Palestinians the opportunity to enforce the agreement, without playing into the hands of gangs or splinter organizations, thereby crushing the responsible party in Gaza at the moment. Israel, which has decided to suspend the military option to give the cease-fire a shot, will decide when the trial period is over. It does seem, though, that this stage has not yet arrived. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Show me the money European Jews would do well to look to U.S. Jews for lessons on renewal. A tale of two mothers Israeli documentary 'To Die in Jerusalem' earns three Emmy nominations.   1.   Maintaining the cease-fire 09:40  |  Natallie Durson 08/07/08   2.   You can`t take a break in a cease fire 09:51  |  Binyamin Dissen 08/07/08   3.   Gangs like the "Barak Boys", aka IDF, have 09:59  |  Andreas 08/07/08   4.   "..the aims that were set and .... 10:20  |  Jew- and Bookburner 08/07/08   5.   Is there a Pulitzer Prize for Dim-bulb Journalism? 10:31  |  Dr. L. Brnd 08/07/08   6.   BARAK IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE TOP JOB 11:15  |  indrajaya 08/07/08   7.   Work accident in hamas training camp 11:18  |  KUTW 08/07/08   8.   Gaza crossings to remain closed Tuesday 11:22  |  KUTW 08/07/08   9.   ISRAEL IS WORKING PRETTY HARD IN WEST BANK 11:23  |  Indrajaya 08/07/08   10.   QUICKLY, let us MUDDY the FACTS and BURY our head in the sand 11:47  |  CK Tan 08/07/08   11.   Bullshit 11:59  |  peter 08/07/08   12.   Trial period 12:12  |  Jan Elshout 08/07/08   13.   Progressing idiotization of Israel,see "Haaretz" editors 12:38  |  Absolute Sweden 08/07/08   14.   #1 Natallie Durson 12:40  |  Labhras 08/07/08   15.   Goodness! The thought of this ceasefire working really is scary! 13:20  |  Johnboy 08/07/08   16.   Meanwhile,israel continues its bulldozing of houses,forcibly 14:09  |  lakshmi 08/07/08   17.   this article,proves once again that leftis`m is a mental disease 14:20  |  chaim schonbrun 08/07/08   18.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   19.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   20.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   21.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   22.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   23.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   24.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   25.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   26.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   27.   Jimmy Carter`s legacy 14:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   28.   POST THIS ANOTHER 25 TIMES, WHY DON`T YOU 15:34  |  NEIL 08/07/08   29.   Things are proceeding quite well, thank you 15:34  |  Tosefta 08/07/08   30.   # 29, TOSEFTA 15:50  |  indrajaya 08/07/08   31.   #29 Tosefta 15:52  |  MR 08/07/08   32.   and on we go 16:06  |  curious george 08/07/08   33.   Progressive, intellectual muscles 16:13  |  allang 08/07/08   34.   Maintaining the cease-fire 16:15  |  Ralph 08/07/08   35.   What are the provisions of this ceasefire that they are keeping 16:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/07/08   36.   If you accept this logic, Palestinians will never stop rockets 17:13  |  McQueen 08/07/08   37.   Has Anyone Been Arrested? If Not, Hmas Has Violaed the Truce 17:32  |  Harold 08/07/08   38.   Dr Brnd #5 17:40  |  Guido 08/07/08   39.   Mr Johnboy #15 you need to catch up here 17:54  |  Big Sur 08/07/08   40.   Haaretz lefties at their best 17:57  |  Alex 08/07/08   41.   #14 Lahbras , stick to IRA, have a guiness and be quiet 18:11  |  Big Sur 08/07/08   42.   #31 MR Brute 18:18  |  Tosefta 08/07/08   43.   #37 Big Sur pops up and says.... 18:42  |  Johnboy 08/07/08   44.   #35 Fer crying out loud, McQueen! 18:49  |  Johnboy 08/07/08   45.   ISRAEL WAS NEVER SERIOUS ABOUT A CEASE FIRE 19:04  |  Arik silverman 08/07/08   46.   #18 to #27 Herbie from Hebron....I remember Arafat stating that 19:07  |  Smadar 08/07/08   47.   #31 MR Brute 19:34  |  Tosefta 08/07/08   48.   LONG LIVE HAMAS 19:50  |  JH 08/07/08   49.   Smadar 20:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   50.   Smadar 20:22  |  Herbert Kaine 08/07/08   51.   Arik silverman is full of BS 20:25  |  Gee 08/07/08   52.   Johnboy sure needs to learn history 20:28  |  Gee 08/07/08   53.   Jews disappoint me 20:29  |  Arik Copperman 08/07/08   54.   Fatah rockets 20:44  |  KUTW 08/07/08   55.   pal interests, according to hamas mufti 20:48  |  KUTW 08/07/08   56.   #49 & #50 Herbie from Hebron 20:56  |  Smadar 08/07/08   57.   Does Natallie Durson secretly work for haaretz? 21:09  |  yeah 08/07/08   58.   I`ve seen this movie "I cannot stop `em" w/Arafat 21:10  |  Alain 08/07/08   59.   I`ve seen this movie "I can`t stop them" by Arafat 21:13  |  Alain 08/07/08   60.   Tosefta #`s 42 & 47 Et tu Brute? 21:13  |  S 08/07/08   61.   Aims by steps 21:32  |  KUTW 08/07/08   62.   Hamas aims by steps 21:34  |  KUTW 08/07/08   63.   Andreas 21:37  |  Ehud 08/07/08   64.   Arik Copperman, I have bad news for you 21:40  |  Ehud 08/07/08   65.   #53 Arik 21:48  |  Gideon 08/07/08   66.   Desalination is expensive 22:01  |  Diane 08/07/08   67.   Not so fast there, Ehuud; Re: E. Copperman 22:20  |  Gray 08/07/08   68.   #41 Big Sur 22:25  |  Labhras 08/07/08   69.   #41 Big Sur 22:26  |  Labhras 08/07/08   70.   MR an outsided view of Israeli preferance for the use of force 22:43  |  American in NY 08/07/08   71.   #68 labarse of "palestine" a part of ireland ? 23:04  |  victor hardman 08/07/08