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Extend the truce By Haaretz Editorial Tags: truce, Israel News, Hamas On Friday, the Gaza cease-fire will officially expire. On the face of it, there should be no doubt about it - the lull has in any case evaporated. Despite the launching of Qassam rockets and mortar rounds, or maybe even because of it, the question of whether to extend the truce or declaratively disavow it arises in full force. The working assumption that underlines this critical question is that Hamas is capable of, and in certain circumstances is even seeking to, uphold the truce and that Israel still has an interest in maintaining the cease-fire as it has existed during these last five months. There is another pretext for maintaining the lull: Apparently, Israel has not yet decided whether it wants to or is capable of employing the military option, and the heavy price associated with it - and all this in a contentious run-up to the election. Advertisement Even before any decision has been made, we have already heard political statements calling for a change in the accepted decision-making process. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni opined that "Israel cannot leave Gaza under Hamas rule." So what is she proposing? Invading Gaza? Liquidating Hamas' leadership? Killing hundreds of thousands of Hamas followers, who support a movement that can easily sprout a new set of leaders? Haim Ramon rejected Ehud Barak's proposal to dispatch Amos Gilad to Egypt ahead of deciding on the continuation of the lull. Ramon is not known as someone who supports the truce. He considers Barak's policy of restraint to have failed. Yet Ramon has no concrete solution - save, apparently, the same one offered by Livni. Faced with opposition to the truce, Ehud Olmert is actually willing to adhere to it, provided that the terms of the original cease-fire remain in place. The prime minister's approach bears the understanding that the lull - in its original state - allows for a more comfortable existence, compared with the other alternatives. The decision is not a simple one, particularly since it involves making an agreement with an organization that arouses revulsion, one that boasts of its sickening "theater play," in which a Hamas man dressed as Gilad Shalit begs for his release. But the organization's character, tendencies and ideology are the business of the Palestinians, whether they support or oppose Hamas. For its part, Israel must consider whether it is best to return to the lull in its original incarnation or to accept a reality of a daily battle of attrition. At present, it seems as though there is no alternative other than to continue the lull and to dig up from the rubble of history the series of understandings reached with Hamas in June via Egyptian mediation. In another two months, a new government is expected to emerge in Israel, which will have to decide on a policy toward Hamas. In another month, when Mahmoud Abbas' term in office comes to an end, there is liable to be an upheaval in the Palestinian government. Under these circumstances, it would be better to refrain from causing unnecessary uproar in Gaza by embarking on operations that are liable to further complicate Israel's position, particularly among residents of the western Negev. Empty, threatening slogans certainly do not constitute an alternative to a carefully thought-out decision, which must be made as soon as possible. Bookmark to del.icio.us   The Eilat bus crash At least 24 Russian tour guides were killed in one of Israel's worst road accidents. Setting it straight Livni: Syria peace must involve more than just eating hummus in Damascus.   1.   "carefully thought-out decision" 20:25  |  Andrew 16/12/08   2.   A voice from the past 07:49  |  English Resident 17/12/08

Read & React Jurists tell Barak: Don't shell Gaza population centers Responses: 121 Police: Too soon to blame Eilat bus crash on drivers' dispute Responses: 27 11 Qassams hit Negev, 48 hours before truce set to end Responses: 37 Amira Hass: Hamas expects Israel to foil two-state solution Responses: 28 Alexander Yakobson: Israel has no real peace initiative Responses: 31 More Headlines 16:56 Mofaz: Dispute between bus drivers definitely caused fatal Eilat crash 17:27 Qassam rocket hits Sderot residential area as rockets pelt Negev 17:38 Hamas leader: No truce unless Israel eases Gaza restrictions 13:55 Russia to supply Lebanon with 10 MiG-29 fighter jets 17:54 The infant death email rumor that made Osem's stock tank 13:19 Livni seeks 'Big Brother' voter turnout in Kadima primary 04:28 Jurists tell Barak: Don't shell Gaza population centers 14:06 3-year-old Adolf Hitler finally gets his name on his birthday cake 15:52 Relatives of Russian crash victims arrive in Israel 12:43 Stretches of roads near Eilat are potential death traps 17:54 Austrian president in W. Bank: Settlement construction must stop 13:32 Israel's Big Brother: Plenty of ethnic tension, but no sex 04:37 Israeli diplomat: No more talks with Syria at this time 01:59 'I awoke and saw everyone was down on the ground around me' 15:58 Journalist Uri Orbach joins new right-wing party 13:22 Olmert bans Haaretz reporter from London briefing over 2001 article 08:38 1960s religious vs. secular kidnap to be made into movie 13:12 U.S. 'Lord of the Flies'-based reality show to air in Israel 10:41 Italian MP says Vatican didn't do enough to help Jews in WWII 05:31 Nazi hunters give U.S. Holocaust Museum trial documents Previous Editions Select Day 16 dec 15 dec 14 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 08 dec 07 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec

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