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Soldiers performing maintenance work at an army base near the Gaza border Tuesday. (AP)
Last update - 21:56 18/06/2008
Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may be short lived
By Amos Harel and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies
Tags: Gaza Strip, cease-fire 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday said that Israel would do its part to implement a cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip, but warned that the truce was "fragile and likely to be short-lived."

Olmert spoke hours after Israel confirmed that it had agreed to an Egyptian-proposed cease-fire (tahadiyeh), to go into effect at 6 A.M. Thursday.

The prime minister said that Israel would "go forward in implementing this calm" but that its military was readying its response should Palestinian rocket attacks continue.
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Olmert stressed that he had not and would not negotiate directly with terrorist elements, and reiterated Israel's position that Shalit's release was inherent to the truce deal.

"We have no illusions. The calm is fragile and likely to be short-lived," Olmert said. "Hamas has not changed its skin. These are bloodthirsty and despicable terrorists who even today are doing all they can to harm Israeli civilians."

"Hamas is the address in Gaza, and it carries responsibility for everything that happens in Gaza," he added.

Olmert also said that the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit was an inherent condition for the cease-fire deal reached with Gaza militants.

"Gilad Shalit's release is inseparable from the understandings reached in the terms for calm. Each day, I make efforts to return him to his parents. I believe that as part of the understandings that enabled this calm, we will be able to advance his release," Olmert said.

Earlier, government spokesman Mark Regev said Israel planned to ease its months-long siege of the Gaza Strip so long as the truce deal was implemented as planned.

"If the fighting indeed ceases Thursday as planned, Israel will ease its blockade of Gaza next week," Regev said. At the same time, talks to release Shalit will intensify, Regev said.

Shalit was kidnapped by Gaza militants from his IDF post in cross-border raid in June 2006.

Peter Lerner, spokesman for Israel's military coordinator for the Gaza Strip, said the plan was to boost supplies to the territory starting next week by an initial 30 percent from the 60 truckloads a day now entering.

"Initially it will be foodstuffs and other basic commodities. That could be expanded later to construction materials," Lerner said.

A Palestinian trade official dismissed the planned increase as "nothing."


Egypt and Hamas, which controls the coastal strip, both announced Tuesday that a cease-fire would go into effect Thursday morning. But there was no official confirmation from Israel until Wednesday.

"Thursday will be the beginning, we hope, of a new reality where Israeli citizens in the south will no longer be on the receiving end of continuous rocket attacks," Regev said. "Israel is giving a serious chance to this Egyptian initiative and we want it to succeed."

However, alongside the Israeli confirmation came 15 Qassam rockets fired from Gaza, most of which struck open fields in the western Negev on Wednesday morning and another which scored a direct hit on a home in Sderot.

One rocket caused light damage to a nearby greenhouse. Palestinian militants also opened fire on Israel Defense Forces troops operating near the Gaza-Israel border fence, but none were wounded.

Jerusalem reportedly approved the cease-fire deal after Egyptian diplomats told Defense Ministry official Major General (res.) Amos Gilad, who was in Cairo Tuesday for talks, that Hamas had agreed to Israel's demands.

Army Radio reported that Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni all approved the deal.

Gilad emphasized Wednesday, however, that the truce does not constitute a peace deal.

"This is not a peace agreement. There is an understanding that is based on the effectiveness of military activities until now, and the will to stop it. At this point, we are exhausting the possibilities," Gilad told Israel Radio.

Senior Hamas officials, among them Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and the deputy head of the organization's political bureau in Damascus, Mohammed Nazal, announced the timetable, confirmed by news agencies with officials in Cairo.

"Both sides have pledged to halt all hostilities and all military activities against each other," Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in Cairo Tuesday.

Gilad met Tuesday with Egyptian intelligence chief General Omar Suleiman. The Hamas delegation from Gaza, who met with Suleiman at the beginning of the week, is still in Cairo; Egypt may be shuttling between the parties to conclude the deal. Gilad returned to Israel overnight with the final agreement and reported to Barak.

The cease-fire reportedly includes a pledge by the IDF not to engage in offensive action in the Gaza Strip, and a pledge by Hamas to prevent any attack from the Strip on Israel by its operatives or the other Palestinian groups. Smaller groups in the Strip who are not party to the agreement have hinted that they will not impede it.

Once there have been three days of calm, Israel has pledged to ease the economic siege of the Gaza Strip and allow a large shipment of raw materials and merchandise through the border crossings. A few days later the Egyptians have pledged to renew intensive talks in Cairo for the release of Shalit. The talks will be coordinated by Olmert's point man on prisoner negotiations, Ofer Dekel.

At the same time, Shin Bet security service head Yuval Diskin will evaluate whether the clause in the agreement to cut the smuggling of arms significantly has been kept. The smuggling goes via Sinai to the Strip. If Israel sees progress on these two fronts, it will remove its objection to the opening of the Rafa crossing.

No limit in West Bank

The agreement puts no limitations on IDF actions in the West Bank, and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Tuesday in the Knesset that the army would continue its operations in the West Bank. He added that Israel had to try the option of calm and at the same time prepare for a military operation.

Hamas leader Nazal told the Nazareth station Radio Ashams that Hamas' agreement not to include the West Bank was not a concession, and that "the West Bank is an inseparable part of Palestinian land," but that "it was important first of all to lift the siege on Gaza." He confirmed there were understandings to move ahead on talks on Shalit's release following the agreement and that this issue depended on Israel.

Defense sources in Israel said the cease-fire could hold for a few months. Sources also said that the day ahead was particularly sensitive and the IDF would be on high alert against attacks.

Vice Premier Haim Ramon said: "The tahadiyeh is recognition of Hamas and a very serious blow to the Palestinian Authority and its leaders, who will negotiate to establish a joint government with Hamas."

Speaking at the University of Haifa at a memorial ceremony for Nir Regev, killed in the terrorist attack at Haifa's Maxim restaurant, Ramon also said: "In the end there will be an operation, but it will extract a much higher price."

Ramon also said he opposed the cease-fire because he considered it "a victory for radical Islam."

Meshal: Any Israeli violation of the deal would not go unanswered

On Tuesday, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal said the truce commits Israel to ending its crippling blockade of the Gaza Strip but any Israeli violation of the deal would not go unanswered.

"If you go back, we go back. The resistance factions are not in a weak position, they are in a strong position... We are a people with a cause and we will not be broken by aggression or invasion," Meshal told Reuters during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.

"We will deal with the position on the ground as necessary."

Damascus-based Meshal said that the truce deal made no mention of Shalit or opening the Rafah crossing with Egypt.

Israel had said Rafah would not reopen unless there was progress on Shalit's release.

"The enemy tried...to merge the issue of Gilad Shalit with the truce. We rejected this and in the final Egyptian offer the two issues are not linked," he said.

Meshal added: "The Gilad Shalit issue is linked to an exchange deal ... whereas the truce involves a bilateral ceasefire, lifting the blockade and opening the crossings."


Related articles:
  • 50 Qassams, mortars hit Negev, as Israel, Hamas agree to truce
  • ANALYSIS / Cease-fire deal means Hamas is in charge
  • IAF Gaza strikes kill 6 including gunmen linked to Shalit kidnap
  • Barak: It is too early to declare calm in Gaza
  • Hamas: Gaza truce deal with Israel is in sight
  • Report: Israel won't condition Gaza cease-fire on Gilad Shalit's release
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      1.   Israel to pay twice for Gilad. Once for a Hamas hudna... 01:32  |  bat yam 18/06/08
      2.   Israel HATES peace - they will back-out, or violate the deal. 01:53  |  POP 18/06/08
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      6.   "renew intensive talks" after shipment and 3 days calm? How about 02:04  |  Virginia 18/06/08
      7.   fingers crossed 02:32  |  gearoid 18/06/08
      8.   This time, Israel really needs a cease fire... 02:39  |  Tosefta 18/06/08
      9.   Too Complicated 02:52  |  Ron 18/06/08
      10.   If it works, Good News 02:58  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/06/08
      11.   WHAT IS THE DEAL;THAT THE IDF PULL OUT AND HAMAS KEEPS BOMBING!!! 03:27  |  glenna 18/06/08
      12.   mert gave an inch to fatah and now hamas wants the same deal; 03:37  |  glenna 18/06/08
      13.   This time, Israel really needs a cease fire... 03:41  |  Tosefta 18/06/08
      14.   So, Is It Wednesday Or Thursday? 03:53  |  Jeff Northridge 18/06/08
      15.   truce 04:03  |  azad 18/06/08
      16.   A Mistake? 04:16  |  Pete 18/06/08
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      18.   When do we impeach these bums in power! 04:44  |  Neil Golan 18/06/08
      19.   POP # 1 & 2 Accept The Deal Or Reject It 04:53  |  Jeff Northridge 18/06/08
      20.   Egypt Won`t Stop Smuggling As it Makes Money of it 05:45  |  Joseph.E 18/06/08
      21.   Based on ArabPal Merchants , There is No Siege , No Blockade , 05:54  |  Joseph.E Part 1 18/06/08
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      23.   Hamas Leaders Frightened 05:56  |  Brad 18/06/08
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      29.   June 4, 2008 06:05  |  Joseph.E Part 7 18/06/08
      30.   June 3, 2008 06:07  |  Joseph.E Part 8 18/06/08
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      32.   June 2, 2008 06:09  |  Joseph.E Part 9 18/06/08
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      40.   History will mark this as a dark day 4 freedom!!!! 08:36  |  Ben Uziel 18/06/08
      41.   A promising way forward 09:15  |  Ahmad 18/06/08
      42.   A DAY OF SORROW 09:25  |  indrajaya 18/06/08
      43.   Alex 09:30  |  A.M. 18/06/08
      44.   Truce at last! 09:32  |  Vinegar Hill, 18/06/08
      45.   IF 09:34  |  Janice 18/06/08
      46.   #39 You mean Hamas break the truce, Ahmad 09:35  |  DesMnsDave 18/06/08
      47.   Ben 09:36  |  Janice 18/06/08
      48.   Hey Ahmad...keep it going 09:38  |  Joe Sittizen 18/06/08
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      50.   Israel approves cease fire 09:46  |  Ralph 18/06/08
      51.   # 45 Janice,and IF 09:48  |  Hastaroth 18/06/08
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      59.   #48 Joe 10:13  |  Ahmad 18/06/08
      60.   #9 It`s not that it`s too complicated, Ron 10:14  |  Johnboy 18/06/08
      61.   "Captured", not "kidnapped" 10:14  |  Clickfool 18/06/08
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      66.