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MI Chief Amos Yadlin (Tess Scheflan / BauBau) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 03:34 12/11/2007 MI Chief: Hamas may try to derail peace summit if progress made By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press tags: Military Intelligence  The United States has promised Syria that the issue of the Golan Heights will be brought to the agenda of the upcoming regional peace conference scheduled for later this month, the head of Israeli military intelligence said on Sunday. Briefing Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting, Major General Amos Yadlin said that the Americans had made the promise in effort to convince Damascus to participate in the summit, which it is hosting in Annapolis, Maryland. Yadlin also told the cabinet that the radical Islamic Hamas movement could try to violently derail the peace conference if it appears progress is being made toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Advertisement He said that a perceived failure of the U.S.-sponsored conference could also spark trouble, with Hamas likely to use that as a springboard for a fresh assault on Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas opposes peace with Israel and has publicly vowed to work to sabotage the conference. "A major attack on an Israeli target could force the Israelis into a harsh response, weakening support for a peace deal. Hamas has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bomb attacks," Yadlin said. The Islamic militant group violently took control of the Gaza Strip in June, defeating Abbas loyalists in five days of brutal fighting. Abbas responded by expelling Hamas from the Palestinian government, and has since moved to cement his grip on power in the West Bank, fearing a Hamas challenge there, too. "Failure of the conference could bring about a serious risk of strengthening the extremists," an Israeli official at the Cabinet meeting quoted Yadlin as saying. "[But] he said he saw Hamas stepping up its efforts to carry out acts of terrorism if Annapolis looks like being a success. Both Israel and the Western-leaning Abbas administration have been talking down expectations for the meeting, saying it is meant to kick-start dormant peace negotiations rather than come up with an accord like the one reached between Israel and Egypt in 1978 and attempted between Israel and the Palestinians in 2000, both also in Maryland, at the Camp David presidential retreat. "Annapolis is not Camp David, Annapolis is the beginning of a process," the official quoted Yadlin telling the Cabinet Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity according to civil service rules. The official also quoted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as promising the ministers that he would hold a pre-conference Cabinet debate within the next two weeks and assuring them that although continued deadlock with the Palestinians was not in Israel's interest, he would not be railroaded into concessions. "There is no commitment to any deadline," Olmert was quoted as saying. "I want to move forward cautiously and responsibly, but I want to move forward." Related articles: ANALYSIS: Annapolis summit will bring Hamas back into the fold Minister Ayalon calls on PM to invite Hamas to regional summit Hamas-led meet rescheduled to rival Annapolis summit Meshal: Summit is U.S. ruse meant to distract from war vs. Iran Bookmark to del.icio.us Evangelists' warning Christian power-broker Gary Bauer warns of the dangers of 'islamofascism.' Iran is not afraid Iran's FM says Israel poses no threat to Iran and aggression will spark retaliation.   1.   Peacemakers need to fight with the same passion & vigor 19:19  |  Virginia 11/11/07   2.   It is the same Hamas, the one that would not 19:40  |  Baruch 11/11/07   3.   Sure,destroying Sderot it`s not enough,they might go for Savion 19:58  |  Absolute Sweden 11/11/07   4.   Israeli Tyranny.... 20:00  |  POP 11/11/07   5.   Peace 20:10  |  IsraFan 11/11/07   6.   Put it all on the table before the public. This is where we are 21:07  |  and why 11/11/07   7.   What progress? Israel has refused to discuss "core issues" 21:26  |  Natallie Durson 11/11/07   8.   biased Journalism 21:43  |  lover of Jesus 11/11/07   9.   Of Course, Hamas Will Try To Derail Peace Negotiations 22:12  |  Jeff Northridge 11/11/07   10.   May the "land grab" continue #2 22:24  |  Steven 11/11/07   11.   discussions 22:26  |  Shmuelshachor 11/11/07   12.   Israel`s right to exist 22:55  |  Hilda 11/11/07   13.   Rice wants a Palestinian terror state 22:59  |  Hilda 11/11/07   14.   American ally 23:34  |  ron 11/11/07   15.   Undying Islamist HATE: Egyptian Paper PRAISED Tel Aviv BOMBING 23:40  |  Linda Rivera 11/11/07   16.   # 10 steven 23:54  |  Axel 11/11/07   17.   Israel will try to make it look like Hamas 00:11  |  Labhras 12/11/07   18.   STOP TALKS IMMEDIATELY, INVADE GAZA, ARREST HAMAS, FREE SHALIT))) 00:13  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 12/11/07   19.   #9 Jeff Norhridge-----Israel to the rescue 00:25  |  Labhras 12/11/07   20.   Loser. 00:28  |  Paulo 12/11/07   21.   #12 Hilda in far away USA 00:37  |  Labhras 12/11/07   22.   #10 Steven 00:41  |  Boycott 12/11/07   23.   Hilda 00:43  |  Boycott 12/11/07   24.   Hamas, not to worry.... 00:46  |  Mexi 12/11/07   25.   Golan - no way Jose! 00:48  |  Strangelove 12/11/07   26.   Land for Peace? - yeah - look at the Navajo! 01:17  |  Strangelove 12/11/07   27.   Condi: Listen Napoleon 01:39  |  Peter 12/11/07   28.   #8 Lover of Jesus.... 01:49  |  Shalom 12/11/07   29.   What a hoot 01:58  |  Mark Lincoln 12/11/07   30.   put succinctly 02:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/11/07   31.   If Palestinian negotiators can`t control gunmen can`t be peace 03:05  |  Sam 12/11/07   32.   # 1 Peacemaker. 03:17  |  Stephen. 12/11/07   33.   CJK, In that case, Israel needs to come to the US where they will 13:50  |  Ruth 12/11/07   34.   Stephen, where did you lose your religion? 13:55  |  Virginia 12/11/07   35.   CJK # 30 put succinctly 15:18  |  American in NY 12/11/07

Today Online Israel to free up to 400 jailed Palestinians before summit Responses: 58 Zvi Bar'el: An Iran policy that's the opposite of sanctions Responses: 20 Five said killed as Hamas, Fatah clash at rally for Arafat Responses: 30 Religious or secular, regulars mourn end of Jerusalem's gay bar Responses: 19 Haaretz.com TV: Arab family takes in homeless Jews Responses: 81 Rosner's Domain The Ahmadinejad of the year (WTR) Ahead of summit, N.Y. Congressman fears for Mideast stability Rosner's Guest: Vanessa Ochs Poll: Should American Jews have a voice in shaping Israel's policies? More Headlines 15:26 Six said dead as Hamas, Fatah clash at Arafat rally 15:44 Erekat: Palestinians will not accept Israel as 'Jewish state' 15:10 IDF reservist dies in armored vehicle crash during Golan drill 15:39 Turkish President to Peres: Syria is interested in peace with Israel 07:31 Synagogue in Brazilian town Recife considered oldest in the Americas 15:33 Arab ministers to meet in Cairo ahead of Annapolis conference 13:39 Netanyahu lobbies Ovadia Yosef in bid to stymie peace summit 14:26 Surgeons restore amputated fingers of basketball game guard 12:37 Knesset panel okays Western world's largest database for police use 10:08 MK Esterina Tartman to be probed in tax case against partner Previous Editions Select Day 11 nov 09 nov 08 nov 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 02 nov 01 nov 31 oct 30 oct 29 oct

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