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ANALYSIS / Egypt-Syria row hampering Gaza truce efforts By Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Hamas, Israel News, Syria  Serious differences of opinion between Syria and Egypt are making the process of reaching a Gaza cease-fire agreement difficult. Syria has advised Hamas not to accept Egypt's cease-fire proposal, arguing it is too vague, particularly regarding the issue of Israel's withdrawal from the Strip. In Syria's opinion, which is coordinated with Iran, the Egyptian proposal may undermine Hamas' position in the Gaza Strip and present Israel with an advantage. Hamas is demanding a return to the terms of the cease-fire that were reached last June, which bar Israel from attacking the Gaza Strip and demand that the calm be applied in the West Bank after six months. By this, Hamas would show that Israel had not achieved any political gains through its Gaza operation. The Egyptian initiative, on the other hand, calls for a cease-fire that would take effect within 48-72 hours and would open border crossings to allow humanitarian aid into the Strip. During the cease-fire, Egypt would hold talks with Israel and Hamas to reach a long-term agreement, and at a later stage would resume the talks between Hamas and Fatah over forming a national unity government. Hamas is opposed to this proposal because it believes it recognizes Mahmoud Abbas as the president of the Palestinian Authority. His term officially ends Friday. Syria has urged Hamas to demand that the first stage of a deal include the opening of the Rafah border crossing, a demand that Egypt rejects. The Egyptians are only willing to open the crossing on the basis of the terms of a 2005 agreement, which requires the presence of Palestinian Authority officials, European Union observers and Israeli cameras. Egypt believes that the crossings should be opened at this stage to usher in humanitarian aid. Syria maintains that the opening of the crossings should not be conditioned on the return of PA officials, and has gone so far as to criticize Egypt for failing to open the Rafah crossing at the Egyptian border. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem told Al-Manar, Hezbollah's television station, that "Syria [unlike Egypt] did not prevent Lebanese civilians from entering its territory during the Second Lebanon War." Sarkozy, Erdogan as mediators The rift between Syria and Egypt is such that the two countries are exchanging their positions through French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two countries also disagree over the deployment of international forces. Egypt's foreign minister insisted that on Egyptian soil only Egyptian forces be deployed. Hamas has announced that it, too, is opposed to the deployment of international peacekeepers in Gaza and that the model of Security Council 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War, would not be implemented there. This contravenes Abbas' call for the deployment of such a force in the Gaza Strip with the authority to take action - particularly in preventing Hamas from independent action. Related articles: Three IDF soldiers killed in fighting in Gaza Strip Report: Obama ready to talk to Hamas after taking office Israel to present complaint to UN over Lebanon rocket fire Czech FM: Israel needs Gaza truce to curry European favor Iran bans volunteer suicide bombers from traveling to Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   A "gesture of dignity" Israeli envoy to Venezuela departs after being expelled by Chavez over Gaza op A voodoo initiative Voodoo priests in Benin pray for Israeli-Palestinian peace.   1.   Truce 05:53  |  Mr. Smith 09/01/09   2.   neither hamas nor israel want a cease fire 06:21  |  bernard ross 09/01/09   3.   No cease fire - Peace instead 10:54  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 09/01/09   4.   To Margie From TA 20:09  |  Motty Levi 09/01/09

Read & React UN Security Council calls for immediate Gaza truce Responses: 170 UN: IDF officers admit Gaza school shelling was by mistake Responses: 132 Akiva Eldar: Israeli rejection of Gaza deal may topple Abbas Responses: 71 Gideon Levy: Those who justify Gaza war justify all of its crimes Responses: 237 Bernard Avishai, Sam Bahour: Israel playing into Hamas' hands Responses: 66 More Headlines 00:33 Meshal: No Gaza truce until IDF ends offensive, opens border crossings 23:43 IDF: Hamas fighters beginning to desert; army steps up Gaza offensive 23:45 Gaza rocket strikes Ashkelon, injuring 14 Israelis 23:52 Abbas: Israel responsible for 'waterfall of blood' if it rejects Gaza truce 11:13 Israel rejects UN truce resolution, says Gaza operation to continue 23:28 ANALYSIS / Israel should have embraced the UN's Gaza truce proposal 23:29 Pentagon denies arms shipment to Israel linked to Gaza fighting 22:54 Israelis protest Gaza offensive: Our Zionism does not make us crave blood and war 23:07 Protesters turn violent, clash with police at anti-Israel rallies in Europe 22:58 Israel and Hamas are both paying a steep price in Gaza 01:17 IDF uses live ammunition to break up West Bank demonstrations 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 11:00 EU said readying plan to restore Fatah-led PA rule over Gaza crossings 20:33 7 suspects arrested in Lebanon over rocket fire into northern Israel 22:34 Hamas claims it hit IAF base 27km from Tel Aviv 21:53 Human Rights Watch: Israel using white phosphorus munitions in Gaza 17:19 Yemen begins trial of 3 men accused of spying for Israel 20:54 Voodoo priests in Benin pray for Israeli-Palestinian peace 23:51 Israeli envoy to Venezuela departs after being expelled by Chavez over Gaza op 11:40 Incoming secretary of state Clinton to name Dennis Ross as top adviser on Mideast, Iran 16:02 IDF denies shooting of UN truck in Gaza that killed relief worker 11:18 WATCH: U.S. House passes landslide vote backing Israel in fight against Hamas 21:16 ANALYSIS / Israeli rejection of Gaza deal may topple Abbas 11:20 Obama aide denies report he will launch low-level contact with Hamas 12:23 Text of UN Security Council resolution for Gaza cease-fire 23:38 Syria protests Israel's gift of Golan wine to UN staff Previous Editions Select Day 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 29 dec 28 dec

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