Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., May 16, 2008 Iyyar 11, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:31 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman. (AP) Last update - 17:51 08/03/2008 Cairo official: Gaza Strip conflict serves Syrian interests By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Egypt, Hamas, Islamic Jihad  An unnamed senior Egyptian official on Saturday said that the possibility that Syria is influencing Palestinian factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad to reject Egyptian offers to mediate a cease-fire between them and Israel, the London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat reported. According to the report, Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman offered the Palestinian factions an Israeli commitment to cease its operations against Palestinian militants in Gaza if the factions made a commitment to halt the rocket fire from the Strip into Israel. The offer, made at a meeting between Egyptian officials and Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders in Egypt on Thursday, was rejected. According to Egyptian sources, the heads of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, currently based in Damascus, are the only ones authorized to make a decision regarding a cease-fire with Israel, and it is possible that the Syrian government is behind the failure of truce negotiations thus far. "All the evidence points to the fact that Syria wants to divert attention from Lebanon and point the spotlight on Gaza," the Egyptian official said. Advertisement "The current escalation [of violence] in the Palestinian arena serves the Syrian interests," they said, explaining that the embarrassment caused by continuing violence in Gaza to Arab Leaders may prompt the Arab nations to send high-level representation to the upcoming Arab summit hosted by Syria later this month, after having threatened that state leaders will not attend if Syria continues to interfere in the political crisis in Lebanon. The Egyptian accusations against Syria are directly linked to rising tensions in the Arab world currently. The absence of Arab leaders from the Arab summit will cause great embarrassment to Damascus, as the host country, and likely prevent the success of the summit. The Egyptian officials added that they had frozen efforts to mediate a truce between Israel and the Palestinians until after the Arab summit at the end of March. They said that Suleiman, who is responsible for the mediation efforts, will accompany Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak this week to Poland and Dakar, which will prevent him from advancing truce negotiations. The officials also said that the terrorist attack in Jerusalem on Thursday, which left eight yeshiva boys dead and several others wounded, placed a "shadow" on the cease-fire negotiations. Related articles: Hamas: Cease-fire deal must include West Bank Hamas, Jihad meet Cairo officials to discuss truce, opening Rafah crossing Haniyeh advisor: Hamas willing to discuss a truce with Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Animated massacre Animated Israeli film at Cannes explores Sabra and Shatila massacre. Kowtowing to funders When papers are sponsored, can their reporting be truly independent?   1.   The plot thickens.(Pure Spin). Syria. 12:48  |  Stephen. 08/03/08   2.   Bad news for Palestinians if true 13:01  |  Suzanne 08/03/08   3.   Sedition 13:32  |  Shery.muslima 08/03/08   4.   Typical for the Arabs to use the Pals 13:36  |  US CITIZEN 08/03/08   5.   good news for the palestinians 14:12  |  saladin 08/03/08   6.   Sedition between countries 14:20  |  shery.muslima 08/03/08   7.   Egypt has no power to order Hamas Syria RIGHT ??? 14:35  |  M. S. 08/03/08   8.   The Gaza situation certainly doesn`t serve Egyptian interests 16:15  |  Mark Lincoln 08/03/08   9.   To US CITIZEN # 47 - Good you realise the Truth 16:44  |  Dolly 08/03/08   10.   Time for Syria to be generous with Israel. 17:43  |  Jean Van Daem 08/03/08   11.   Mark Lincon 18:29  |  Will 08/03/08   12.   Reply to Jean (#6) - Maybe Shavit Should Read this Column 19:03  |  Tod Zuckerman 08/03/08   13.   If it is Syria 19:08  |  Paul 08/03/08   14.   israel offers hamas and islamic jihad a truce and they turned it 19:29  |  terrornator 08/03/08   15.   arabs/muslims using palestinians as their whores 19:38  |  terrornator 08/03/08   16.   shery muslima you just can`t see the truth because of your 19:51  |  terrornator 08/03/08   17.   Isaiah 17 19:51  |  Fearing YHWH Alone 08/03/08   18.   Should we be surprised? 19:57  |  Scott USA 08/03/08   19.   #6 Muslima 22:28  |  You must be joking 08/03/08   20.   Cease fire in Gaza 00:06  |  Keith T. 09/03/08   21.   Will 00:14  |  Mark Lincoln 09/03/08   22.   n.korea, iran, hamas, hiz, likely syria will soon fry. 00:45  |  frenz 09/03/08   23.   # 3 shery of Cairo 01:48  |  Lynn 09/03/08   24.   # 5 saladin...Syria runs Gaza 01:51  |  Lynn 09/03/08   25.   #8, MarkL, the two nations are Syria and Iran 02:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/03/08   26.   shery.muslima 03:01  |  taz 09/03/08   27.   #3 Sherry Muslima 03:24  |  * BEN JABO 11/03/08   28.   cairo 17:58  |  Raven 16/05/08

Read & React Israel protests UN chief Ban Ki-Moon's use of term 'nakba' Responses: 212 PMO: U.S., Israel see need for 'tangible action' on Iran nukes Responses: 75 Shmuel Rosner: Bush, Obama and the 'appeasement' jibe Responses: 47 Bin Laden vows to 'fight' Israel for Palestinian land Responses: 73 Sultan al-Qassemi: Arab Jews should be welcomed back in their ancestral homes Responses: 53 Rosner's Domain Bush should be measured by the yardstick he prescribed to Obama The greatest achievement and failure of the Jewish people Is Obama a Carter or a Chomsky? (WTR) Poll: Was Bush attacking Obama? Does McCain wants to talk to Hamas? (WTR) More Headlines 13:20 Bin Laden vows to 'fight' Israel for Palestinian land 16:02 Kadima MKs gather to discuss Olmert investigation 13:10 PMO: U.S., Israel see need for 'tangible action' on Iran nukes 14:09 Hamas: Inclusion of Shalit in truce deal must be on our terms 20:21 The enemies within 17:09 New York Muslim leader forges close ties with city's Jews 09:07 Was Bush's Knesset speech a swipe at Obama? 18:20 ANALYSIS: Who wants to stop Iran? 14:49 'Elitist' leadership alienating U.S. Jews, says prominent sociologist 02:35 Israel protests UN chief Ban Ki-Moon's use of term 'nakba' 13:44 Einstein letter dismissing 'childish' religion sells for 200,000 pounds 12:34 Assailants set off bomb outside Christian school in Gaza Previous Editions Select Day 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may 02 may

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