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Last update - 10:30 04/01/2009
ANALYSIS / International community giving Israel time to weaken Hamas in Gaza
By Aluf Benn

The international community, headed by the U.S. and Egypt, is giving Israel time to carry out the ground offensive in Gaza, so it will severely damage Hamas' regime. The rationale behind such a move is that a weakened Hamas would improve the chances of achieving a stable agreement in Gaza once the fighting subsides.

And so there is a degree of foot-dragging in the diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire. The most visible sign of this was the decision to postpone the United Nations Security Council discussion on Gaza planned for Monday.


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France postponed the discussion to Wednesday, to ensure that it would be held after French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to the region tomorrow.

During her visit to France on Thursday, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had requested that the discussion be postponed.

In its efforts to formulate a draft for an agreement with Hamas in the wake of Operation Cast Lead, the designated team of Israeli officials is aiming to bring about the restoration of the cease-fire with Hamas, which expired on December 19, in addition to steps to curb Hamas' arms-smuggling through the border with Egypt.

The officials, all of them from the Prime Minister's Office, the defense establishment and the Foreign Ministry, are not seeking to introduce international enforcement bodies, but rather the introduction of an upgraded border control system on the Egyptian side of the border. The U.S. administration supports such a move, and is expected to assist the Egyptians in stepping up their efforts to control the border.

Currently, Israeli officials are trying to find a work program that would not infringe on Egyptian sovereignty, which is why Israeli diplomats are pessimistic about the prospect of stationing an international force in the Sinai Peninsula.

According to sources in the U.S., President George W. Bush has intercepted an initiative by his secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice and her British counterpart, Secretary of State David Miliband, to formulate a cease-fire draft.

One source said Bush instructed the State Department to refrain from action in the matter. To date, the U.S. has refrained from sending any envoys or delegates to the region. According to officials, the U.S. and Israel are cooperating diplomatically on the issue.

Egypt's unexpected support for Israel in the conflict with Hamas has, according to Israeli diplomats, been a pleasant surprise for Jerusalem.

Related articles:
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  • Tens of thousands rally across Europe against Israel's Gaza offensive
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Egypt-Syria rift
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    No Talking to Hamas
    Livni rejects offer to contact Hamas via Russia for Gaza truce talks.
      1.   That`s right: The world is complicit in these crimes 05:52  |  peacelover 04/01/09
      2.   The US and Egypt are not the international community 06:31  |  Fritz T. 04/01/09
      3.   Most Americans support Israel!! 10:38  |  Dr Eric 04/01/09
      4.   a pleasant surprise for Jerusalem !!! 10:40  |  Nadia 04/01/09
      5.   To #1 peace lover!! 10:43  |  Dr Eric 04/01/09
      6.   peacelover 10:56  |  danny 04/01/09
      7.   Slaughter of ther innocents 14:11  |  Keith T. 04/01/09
      8.   deplomacy with a demilitarized enemy would be ok 14:25  |  Avi 04/01/09
      9.   World wide depravity 14:38  |  Marilyn 04/01/09
      10.   The shame of the phony peacelovers 14:45  |  Joe Sittizen 04/01/09
      11.   The World is to blame and will be punished by mad men 14:47  |  Avi 04/01/09
      12.   Nadia # 4 Cario 14:50  |  The Teacher/Instruct 04/01/09
      13.   Don`t Weaken Hamas, Chop Off Its Head And Rid Gaza Of This Cancer 19:17  |  Judea 04/01/09
      14.   It`s not true 20:01  |  h.abdelahad 04/01/09
      15.   Israel, YES - This Strategy, NO 00:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/01/09
      16.   Democracy anyone 06:52  |  Bill 05/01/09
      17.   PRO -ARAB EUROPEANS WANT LIVNI TO WIN ISRAELI ELECTION 08:25  |  HENRY MANN 05/01/09
      18.   To Mark of Lewiston #15 `Israel...` 09:19  |  Colin Wright 05/01/09
      19.   Wastful Death 12:55  |  Robert J McGregor 05/01/09
     Read & React
    Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff: How much time does the IDF have left in Gaza?
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    Sarkozy: Hamas to blame for suffering of Palestinians in Gaza
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    Amira Hass: Wounded Gaza family lay bleeding for 20 hours
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    'We lost our homes for nothing,' says reservist from former Gaza settlement
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    Amir Oren: What's happening in Gaza is neither war nor occupation
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