Hamas sends Israel mixed signals on temporary cease-fire <br><br> - Haaretz

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Sun., December 23, 2007 Tevet 14, 5768

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		Palestinians carrying bodies of Hamas militants killed by the IDF in Gaza on Thursday. (Reuters)

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Last update - 06:25 23/12/2007

Hamas sends Israel mixed signals on temporary cease-fire

By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies

Tags: IDF, Hamas, Israel, Gaza

Hamas both acknowledged and denied Saturday that it is considering a new temporary cease-fire, or hudna, with Israel.

Israel Radio quoted a senior Hamas official as telling the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Alawsat that it is trying to enlist support for the limited truce from other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.

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he official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the paper that the proposal under discussion was an unconditional bilateral cease-fire with Israel.

However, a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza said a truce is out of the question under present circumstances.

"We can't talk about a truce at a time when Israel is stepping up its attacks, especially during the holiday," Ismail Radwan told AFP, referring to the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha that began Wednesday. "If there is any matter of peace talks, all Palestinian groups must take part in it to meet the national interest."

Also Saturday, spokesmen for Islamic Jihad said Hamas is not pressuring the group to stop firing Qassam rockets. Israel must cease its military operations before Islamic Jihad considers the possibility, they said.

Hamas first floated the idea of a truce in a phone call Tuesday to an Israeli TV reporter, Suleiman al-Shafi, from the Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh. The proposal was officially made Thursday though Egyptian mediators.

Ministers: Examine serious proposals

Two senior cabinet ministers Friday urged Israel to examine any serious cease-fire proposal from Hamas.

"If a serious offer for a truce from Hamas reached us, I think we should examine it seriously," Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz told reporters. Mofaz ruled out direct political negotiations with the Islamic movement, which seized control of Gaza in June, unless it recognizes Israel.

Cabinet Minister Ami Ayalon, a former chief of the Shin Bet security service, added his voice in favor of the proposal.

Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's political security department, said Hamas has no real intention of honoring a truce, and is merely seeking a temporary cease-fire to regroup and rearm.

Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Friday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert may consider talks with Hamas on a long-term cease-fire. But as part of such a deal, Hamas must stop the rocket fire, stop smuggling arms into the Gaza Strip from Egypt and open talks for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

Shalit was captured by Hamas-affiliated militants last year.

The office of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, however, denied that Israel was considering a cease-fire proposal from Hamas.

"Israel talks to the Palestinian Authority and not with extremists," a government official said.

Related articles:

Haniyeh aide: Hamas willing to discuss temporary truce with Israel

ANALYSIS: Is a truce between Israel and Hamas possible?

PM: We'll keep targeting Gaza leaders over rockets

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1.	Hit em hard and long till they come to thier sensess	05:50	\|	NGOLAN	23/12/07

2.	Now, that`s a surprise ....	05:58	\|	Séamus	23/12/07

3.	And has not Israel sent even more `mixed` signals?	06:02	\|	Mark Lincoln	23/12/07

4.	hudna ...schmudna	08:09	\|	real vision	23/12/07

5.	Hamas wants Israel to give it access to EU Billions	08:25	\|	Voice of Reason	23/12/07

6.	especially during the holiday??	08:26	\|	vik	23/12/07

7.	Hamas Cease-Fire	09:59	\|	Sheikh Rattle & Roll	23/12/07

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