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Leader of Hamas in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh (AP)
Last update - 21:40 23/04/2008
Hamas leader says cease-fire with Israel must include West Bank
By Avi Issacharoff, Amos Harel, and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Egypt, Gaza Strip, Israel 

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday said that a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas must include the West Bank as well as Gaza, in addition to hinting that the Palestinian militant group would respond positively to an Egyptian-brokered truce proposal.

According to Haniyeh, when a delegation of senior Hamas officials visits Cairo on Thursday, "the ball will be in Israel's court."

Meanwhile, Israel is refraining at this stage from making public statements on the Egyptian mediation effort to secure a cease-fire with Hamas.
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Hamas has said it will announce its answer to the plan on Thursday.

Reports in the Arab press in recent days have suggested that Cairo is aiming this time for a long-term cessation of hostilities.

Haniyeh's comments contradicted statements made by Hamas sources Tuesday that the new Egyptian proposal envisions a cease-fire for several months in Gaza extended, if successful, to the West Bank. That idea could be acceptable to Israel as well. But Israeli military and government sources doubt that a long-term cease-fire can be reached in the near future.

The move for a truce in Gaza alone would mark a significant concession by Hamas in dropping a demand that the agreement immediately include the West Bank as well, as Egyptian mediators try to halt the fighting between Palestinian militants and the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza and southern Israel.

In any event, the sides will not sign a binding document because Hamas does not recognize Israel, and Israel refuses direct negotiations. The intention apparently is to have Egypt make a declaration on the spirit of the understandings, and have both sides accept them independently.

Israel has repeatedly said it will not negotiate with Hamas, a group that has carried out numerous suicide bombings and remains committed to Israel's destruction. A government spokesman said Tuesday that Israel would keep up its military pressure on Hamas as long as the group threatens Israeli civilians.

Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Riyad al-Malki on Wednesday said a Gaza Strip truce is very close and would lead to an end to the embargo placed on the Gaza Strip by Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday said that talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are ongoing and will be expanded to include the subject of Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon.

"When we sign an agreement [with Israel] not a single Palestinian refugee should remain in Lebanon," Abbas told reporters on board a flight to Washington, where he will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush this week.

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      1.   Hamas is begging now for a ceasefire, any ceasefire 05:52  |  Genuine Tosefta 23/04/08
      2.   No Schalit, no deal! 07:19  |  Ronnbo 23/04/08
      3.   Hamas 07:41  |  Fadhil 23/04/08
      4.   Israel: Any excuse to avoid peace 07:49  |  Natallie Durson 23/04/08
      5.   Is Israel winning the war against Hamas ? 08:40  |  Jean Van Daem 23/04/08
      6.   5.Jean van Daem,this war against terror is as phony as the Bush 14:15  |  lakshmi 23/04/08
      7.   Keeping suxh Talks pertaining to Israel`s future secretive 14:41  |  Dagma 23/04/08
      8.   Waste of time, waste of hope 14:46  |  utagawa 23/04/08
      9.   # 6 lakshmi....that is so funny 15:20  |  Lynn 23/04/08
      10.   Fadhil,each time Israel granted Hamas a ceasefire they didn`t obs 15:55  |  Genuine Tosefta 23/04/08
      11.   Back to Gaza. 16:02  |  Jean Van Daem 23/04/08
      12.   Israel still wants to target civilians in the WB & steal moreland 16:05  |  *BEN JABO 23/04/08
      13.   Hamas torpedos another cease-fire 16:12  |  William 23/04/08
      14.   now you see it ! now you dont! bang goes another phoney deal 16:26  |  v hardman 23/04/08
      15.   Nuttie is a sorry excuse for an animal 16:48  |  Genuine Tosefta 23/04/08
      16.   Hamas and it`s very poor record 16:49  |  Abdul Aziz Higazi 23/04/08
      17.   No ceasefire in the West Bank 17:19  |  McQueen 23/04/08
      18.   # 12 FALSE *BEN JABO ALERT 17:31  |  Eylo 23/04/08
      19.   No ceasefire without release of Shalit 18:27  |  Conscience 23/04/08
      20.   no deal no deal no deal 19:07  |  vik 23/04/08
      21.   Haniyah, you dont get it. Save Gaza First. 19:28  |  El-Birawi 23/04/08
      22.   Elected Government 19:52  |  aaron 23/04/08
      23.   It is the Israel who needs a cease fire not 19:54  |  BOBBY 23/04/08
      24.   I Agree Abass Not a single Palestinian refugee should remain in L 19:58  |  Gil 23/04/08
      25.   I Agree Abass Not a single Palestinian refugee should remain in L 19:59  |  Gil 23/04/08
      26.   #13 William 19:59  |  Pete 23/04/08
      27.   no shalit, no deal! 20:18  |  josef 23/04/08
      28.   total hamas disarmament 20:39  |  real vision 23/04/08
      29.   Why does Israel refuse to make peace in the West Bank? 20:54  |  POP 23/04/08
      30.   Shalit needs to be released to show good faith on Hamas Side 21:21  |  Dish It Out 23/04/08
      31.   #4 natallie 21:25  |  sammy 23/04/08
      32.   21 El Birawi.Haniyeh is smarter than we realise! ofcourse he 21:32  |  lakshmi 23/04/08
      33.   Connect the dots for POP 21:33  |  Joe Frazier 23/04/08
      34.   hamas butcher "also the west bank" 21:37  |  harzion 23/04/08
      35.   A Hudna with Hamas? 21:43  |  Mike 23/04/08
      36.   A successful cease-fire in Gaza, can lead to later in West Bank 22:02  |  Smadar 23/04/08
      37.   POP-Most Jews believe most Pals want to destroy Jewish state 22:05  |  Sam 23/04/08
      38.   # 21 El Birawi...yes, indeed Haniyeh 22:51  |  Lynn 23/04/08
      39.   #31 Sammy to Natellie 22:52  |  Russ 23/04/08
      40.   # 32 lakshmi ....warmongering whore 22:54  |  Lynn 23/04/08
      41.   more hot air from hamas 23:00  |  Adrian de Klerk 23/04/08
      42.   smadar " a ceasefire in gaza" 23:10  |  harzion 23/04/08
      43.   madam wanker lakshmi 23:12  |  dimple kapadia 23/04/08
      44.   El-Birawi 23:17  |  TonyL 23/04/08
      45.   Ref # 40- How can Haaretz allow this kind of 23:27  |  Jaffar 23/04/08
      46.   Cease fire and Hamas 23:44  |  Dik 23/04/08
      47.   In dealing with Hamas. 23:46  |  Stephen. 23/04/08
      48.   HAMAS ORDERS "WEST BANK" 00:14  |  RITA ROSENTHAL 24/04/08
      49.   A Viable Truce . . . Must Include 00:20  |  DoubleClick 24/04/08
      50.   Clear stance 00:20  |  MR 24/04/08
      51.   #5 Lakshmi. Israel`s dream of "imperial power." 00:33  |  Maureen Ann 24/04/08
      52.   Having Just Read the Article (Sorry for not doing so before) 00:45  |  Natallie Durson 24/04/08
      53.   Peace with Hamas? No, peace only AFTER Hamas 00:46  |  Scharker Yid 24/04/08
      54.   #26 Pete 01:13  |  MaryRose 24/04/08
      55.   Haniyeh is right, the cease-fire must entail the West Bank 01:32  |  Dutch 24/04/08
      56.   # 42 Jaffar .........the word whore 02:45  |  Lynn 24/04/08
      57.   # 36 Smadar..I think it`s more political 03:14  |  Lynn 24/04/08
      58.   #40 Lynn, Political whores is the reality of the day 04:12  |  Dutch 24/04/08
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