Abbas to offer expanded cease-fire in talks with Olmert, despite Jihad opposition

"... why didn`t you protest against this occupation and why didn`t you ask Egypt and Jordan to "give Pal land",as you are asking Israel now..." These Palestinian territories were only ADMINISTERED by Jordan (West Bank) and Gaza (Egypt) however Jordan annexed the West Bank "de facto" in 1950 until 1988 to fill the administrative and political vacuum that existed, pending the emergence of the Palestinian state as negotiated/organized by the PLO. For your info Egypr never CLAIMED Gaza. Life under Egyptian and Jordanian administration was infinitely more bearable than the Israel occupation + settlement activity, so there was no violent resistance to these states because as per 1948 partition plan a seperate Arab state was accorded the Palestinians on their land within historical Palestine.

So you keep your threats about "stone age" to yourself. The only one who lives in that era is the Israeli govt. and its medieval scare and theft tactics. By the way did you eat anything too spicy because everything you write is inflammed diatribe. Get some fresh air, you need it.

If the general tenor of the posts is even close to the attitude of the average Israeli, peace is obviously out of the question. It'd be like trying to reason with a mad dog.

rearm. Say NO to this ABBAS offer. Retaliate any provocation strongly and fiercely. TERRORISTS deserved a STONE AGE.

These groups are not under the Pal government. They do want to provoke Israel into confrontation so that the war goes on. The strategy is to promote anarchy and discord which, they hope, will convince everyone that the government in inept at keeping the peace. Then everyone will demand a new government and the real bosses will step in as Palestine's saviours. It is an old strategy taught by Lenin and his crowd. To take over a government, you must first destroy confidence in the old one and bring about its collapse. The smartest thing Olmert ever did was to order Israel out of Gaza and to stop retaliating against insurgents. That is when the Palestinian insurgents' strategy began to crack apart. We'll soon see how they will attempt a comeback. But they have already lost a great deal of support. The question is can they regroup and continue, or are they on their way out at last?

Pal leaders are master of spin correct continue to fire qassams correct even though ceasefire agreed he who fires qassam didn't agree Israel held back correct pals cannot be trusted pal leaders cannot be trusted they want better life incorrect. Pal leaders already have a good life. they want possible state incorrect. That would mean they have to behave they must be disarmed correct all factions correct else, no peace correct no mercy for them justice they will not develop an economy or a functional state. correct they are liars Liars, cheats, thieves, murderers, conmen, profiteers, gangsters, crooks, public enemies - All they want now is money, money, money. From UN, USA, Iran, anyone who is dumb enough to give it to them. Just so long as they don't have to stop what they are doing. Down with the war lord runts! Up with the Palestinian people!

Let Israel's actions be above reproach. Then Israel's enemies will have nothing to talk about! So they provoke you. So what? Respond accordingly. But for heavens sake Stop moaning about what people say!

Howdy Tosefta; Yes, I'm aware of the circumstances of the first Hudaibiyah Treaty, but that doesn't mean that the Arabs don't use the term to refer to an agreement that they have no intention of keeping as did Arafat (MHRIH) while his signature was still wet on the Oslo Accords. The only Muslim that I've ever heard of to ever honor his word was Saladin and he was a Kurd and not an Arab. Technically, there was only one Pyrrhic victory as well, but the phrase has come to mean any battle in which the so-called "victor" managed to win (i.e., was in possession of the field of battle) at such a cost in blood and treasure as to be not worth it. For example, the Battle of Bunker Hill (actually Breed's Hill) is called a Pyrrhic victory for the British. An American patriot commented later, "I wish we could sell them another hill at the same price."

PLEASE MR ABBAS.. WHY ARE WE KIDDING EACH OTHER? THIS SOUND LIKE THE LADY WHO IS "JUST A LITTLE BIT PREGNANT". YOU OFFER CEASE-FIRE, WHILE HAMAS AND JIHAD FIRE KASSAMS IN TO ISRAEL DAILY! THE RABBID JIHAD BOYS ALREADY REJECTED THE IDEA! PLEASE COME BACK WHEN THERE IS FIRM, ROCK SOLID PEACE OFFER IS ON THE TABLE! AND SIR, YOU KNOW THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!!

The so-called "cycle of violence" will only end when (1) the Pals comply with the Quartet requirements or (2) they refuse and continue to look the other way as rockets are launched against Israel, in which case (2) could lead to a major war against the PA government; military occupation of the west bank; expulsion of the terrorist leaders; and continued misery for the Pals until they finally realize that it is far better to expend their efforts on building a better society, reflecting the desires of their own people for peace and security than to hate the Jews.

Jeff/Tosefta - I think we can all agree that the peace with Egypt and Jordan was a big STEP. Growing up we always said that Jordan would be the 2nd to accept ISR, but not the first - haha, turned to be true...anyway, The fact that Tosefta is trying to have a dialog is good. We must continue that. talking - not shooting may save us all. Unfortunately Tosefta has been reading the anti-zionist social studies workbooks that can only be found in arab lands. Tosefta - Please read this a million times if you have to: the UN GAVE YOU A COUNTRY - two actually - Heshemite Jordan, and Palestine (not Israel, I'm talking the UN Palestine). Jordan took control of the WB and Egypt took Gaza during disputes. They forced their palestinian arabic brothers and sisters and put them in detainment camps - which sadly exist to this day. once defeated and offerd back the land, they said no, Why? Becuase refugees are a sympathetic cause that garners int'l attention against Israel - propaganda war. Shalom.

Jeff, I don't want to repeat myself on the truces, nor do I want to argue about what steps should be taken by Israel; these depend on a sense of realism and I made my point already. I don't understand your statement: "we have 14 centuries of experience with how Muslims honor Hudabayyah Treaties." Muslims have to honor treaties they commit to. You can also observe (if you bother do do it) that fundamentalist organizations tend to keep their words more than the secular ones do. Example: Hizballah and Hamas are respected for this. There was one Hudaibiya treaty (not plural), and it was violated not by Muhammad but by the Meccans. Actually, the way it worked was that one pagan Arab tribe joined the Muslims and one joined the Meccans after the treaty was signed. By this they fell under the treaty. Then the tribe that joined the Meccans attacked their old enemy the tribe that joined the Muslims. This brought the treaty to an end. It will not be difficult for you to verify this story in all Muslim sources. All you need to do is lift a few fingers. You will do your repuatation a big favor if you just acquire the habit of verifying the "facts" you use.

"when Israel has offered to give Pals the state they could have had in `47, for nothing more than peace and security, do the Pals say no?" - Max S What are we talking about here, the Partition borders? The Jews agreed, the Pals rejected. At no time (after 48) did Israel agree to these borders. Notice that some years have passed between 1947 and 2007. Still counting on my fingers, but it seems like 60 years. Were there any changes in Arab attitudes between then and now? Yes, both Egypt and Jordan have peace treaties with Israel. And in 2002 the Arab League accepted the idea that all Arab states will be in peace with Israel based on the pre-67 borders. Great changes. So things are progressing. In any case, when dealing with violations, legalities, etc., the facts must be the basis for the discussion.

Sounds like that is exactly the problem. No excuses for groups who, under the Pal Gov, still fire Qassams at Israel. I think they want to provoke the Israelis into a confrontation. Kill a few people, and Jews become the hated ones again.

Howdy Tosefta; I didn't have enough space to finish last time. It behooves Israel to maintain the status quo indefinitely because it is better than putting off the inevitable Jihad for ten years down the road when the Palestinians would be better armed. Your appeasement policies will only result in more casualties in the long run. Can't you see that the Palestinians are on the ropes? They are getting desperate as the security barrier nears completion which will reduce their military options to near zero and the financing for their terrorist operations is drying up. They remind me of a cat in the bathtub about to get a flea bath. The Palestinians had better accept 100% of the Gaza Strip and 92% of the West Bank for their state now because the longer this drags out, the less they're likely to get. P.S. You can take Abbas' ceasefire proposal with its conditions and dump it. Ceasefires and armistice lines have been tried for the past 60 years and every one of them has been violated b

the Pal Gov needs to stop the Islamic Jihad. They DO have security forces. Everyone needs to stop and give the leadership of both countries time to talk. With the Palestinians and Israelis engaged in negotiations, all factions need to show it can be done, ALL on every side.

1. So far there hasn't been a written cease fire. NOW, Abbas and Hamas promise to enforce a cease fire, so they can be held responsible if Abdallah Musa violates it. I am not "excusing" Jihad. I don't even know if they committed to a cease fire. But it is not reasonable to expect a cease fire in Gaza only. There is some Talmudic saying which says roughly: Do not legislate something on the public if they will not be able to keep it. Don't expect the impossible. (In Italy I bet the dictum would have been: Legislate only laws the public loves to keep.) 2. When Israel violates an agreement, we know it did. When a terror org violates something it supposedly committed to, I know no detail. Was there a conditional agreement there? I have no idea. P.S. I know Israel violated the ifrst cease fire with Hamas, in place since before the Gaza disengagement, by assassinating a Hamas official.

Sounds like it. Hamas kept on saying it for the last few months while their 'storm troopers" have been busty launching Qassams and carrying out a successfull suicide bombing in Eilat. From recent arrest of terrorist slepping in the PA Security Services building thats a common phenomena and a strategy. Palestinians think we Jews are stupid to believe Abbas and Hanyie,....

William, if you keep making up news the way they do here, nobody will take you seriously. Better stick to facts; it will also allow your opinions to have some substance: 1. "Israel offered a cease-fire (after full withdraw) from Gaza and got Qassam attacks increased 10 fold!" - William Hamas was on a cease fire even before the withdrawl, and continued to cease fire until Israel assassinated its operative Samhadana. That is when Qassam fire increased 10 fold. Israel violated the cease fire. 2. "Middle of 2006, after heavy operations in Gaza, the Pals and Israelis agreed to another cease-fire. The stipulation was that if it worked in Gaza, it will be extended to the West Bank in a short time." - William I don't know of any such stipulation. Hamas keeps the cease fire and Israel does not attack it even in the West Bank. But Israel hunts down Islamic Jihad in WB. They offered a truce provided it also covers WB. Israel refuses. Better stop dreaming.

Tosefta - the thing I can at least credit you with is that you are engaging in dialog...and I mean this from the bottom of my heart - no matter the back and forth namecalling - I know that comes from emotion...and is far less harmful than bullets and Qassams. I also want you to know that I believe in a 2 state solution and actually even believe that your people have the right to a homeland and a prosperous one at that. So to continue - I have a question...Why to-date, when Israel has offered to give Pals the state they could have had in '47, for nothing more than peace and security, do the Pals say no? Did you ever think that other Arab countries benefit more by keeping the refugee problem alive? It is a propaganda machine that to no wonder incites greater and greater hatred and anger. I want YOU to have a home. And I want you to respect MY home becuase I own this land legally. Remember the British Mandate on conquered Ottoman lands drew all the lines as we know them. It was legal.

1. CEASE FIRE in GAZA means "NO FIRE BY ANYONE". - If Haim Kurtz would try to fire at GAZANS from ISRAEL, OLMERT's responsibility would be to arrest and punish Haim Kutrz. - If Abdallah Musa would try to fire at ISRAELIS from GAZA, Responsibility of ABBAS and HANIYEH would be to arrest and punish Abdallah Musa. - Your excuse regarding Islamic Jihad demonstrates that you are ready to invent the explanation that even arabs (at least clever and honest ones) cannot present. - Your argumentation regarding the absense of a "signed agreement about cease fire" is a joke: a) BOTH SIDE RECOGNIZED the CEASE FIRE BETWEEN GAZA AND ISRAEL; b) ONE SIDE OBSERVES CEASE FIRE. ANOTHER SIDE - DOESN'T. 2. In case Israel violated cease fire, you would blame Israel; you wouldn't invent excude like "Islamic Jihad has a right for special view", or "I didn't see a signed paper". 3. How your attitude should be called? Correct: A DOUBLE STANDARD!

Howdy Tosefta; 1. I agree that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was only between Israel and Hamas which is all the more reason to insist that any expansion of it to the West Bank include all Palestinian factions. How can Israel agree to a ceasefire when Islamic Jihad, the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the PRC, the PFLP, the Islamic Army, etc. have no intention of honoring it? 2. The Palestinian militant groups may agree to allow Chairman Abbas to negotiate, but the likelihood of them accepting any compromise and permanent peace agreement is dismal. A 10-year hudna would be unacceptable to Israel. Remember, we have 14 centuries of experience with how Muslims honor Hudabayyah Treaties. 3. Well certainly, the PA is in no position to be making preconditions for peace negotiations, but Israel is because the Palestinians are dependent on Israel for just about everything whereas Israel does not depend on the Palestinians for squat. 4. It behooves Israel to continue the status quo.

Max, when you come to accuse somebody, better know the basic facts. The present "cease fire" in Gaza is not only "informal" in the sense that there is no peace of paper bearing Israeli and PA signatures, but Israel did not want to even enter into it until all Palestinian groups had committed themselves to observe it. Abbas called Olmert at some point and said that all had by then committed themselves. I never saw the details of such a commitment by Islamic Jihad. Was it conditional on Israel not attacking it? There may or may not be any violation involved here. These are just the plain facts. Be that as it may, from a realistic point of view I don't believe that a truce can hold in Gaza while Israel is beating some group in the West Bank. I am sure Jews would have acted similarly. A truce that does not have an expiration date on it will last only as long as both sides find it beneficial to observe it. Quite obvious. The problem is not that you are 12th generation Israeli, just naive.

If Israel were to evacuate the settlers from the West Bank, open the ports and airports of Gaza and generally stay behind the '67 borders -open warfare would break out. This would be a signal for the Arabs surrounding Israel to enter into the final stages of the Jihad to create an Islamic state over the ruins of Israel. Arafat formed the PLO in 1964 with the main aim to destroy Israel. You cannot and must not negotiate with these people.

Stay away from his fence and you won't be killed, Peretz said zero tolerance policy , you touch his fence you join your 72 arabic dancers strip club, it is his fence , not yours , on the fence there are signs , it says trespassers will be shot at , not sued but shot at period , go plant your bomb or marijuana somewherelse, , ,

They want Israel to stop hunting them down, they want to regain at least some of the initiative and they want some UN stooges or force to shield them while they upgrade their offensive infrastructure and materiel.

1.From 1948 to 1967,Judea-Samaria was OCCUPIED by Jordan and Gaza was OCCUPIED by Egypt.IS THAT CORRECT? 2.If your reply to No.1 is "Yes",then why didn't you protest against this occupation and why didn't you ask Egypt and Jordan to "give Pal land",as you are asking Israel now? 3.If your reply to No.1 is "No",then I assume you agree with me that these territories were OCCUPIED from Egypt and Jordan (and NOT from a state that was called "Palestine")and that they should be returned to these states.Is that correct?

The thing is,when the Pals call for a cease fir...they don't "ceasefire".They expect only Israel to cease fire.

I think you summed that up pretty well!

responsible for any attack or abduction and doesn't hold any hostage. Then he negotiates for the release of Shalit when he can't deliver on any commitment.

his terror partners in crimes shake the terror tree to extort concessions from Israel , have it withdrawal , prisoners , ect... so when Israel fight back Abbas terror gangs , Abbas is more likely to blame Israel and say Israel undermine , impede peace efforts , it is arabs portrayed as Zionists aggression , they attack but they want to be perceived as the victim ect... is obviously an arabs-muslims fabricated excuse to justify arabs terror , violence , hostility , , , Pals don't have one voice , one gun , impuissant Abbas can neither install law and order or risk to be cynically arab portrayed as Israel policeman , Abbas is more likely to fabricate the excuse of risking pals turfs wars , thus Abbas approach Israel with a cease fire , while any other terror pal group and in this case terror Jihad Islamic says no to cease fire , compelling Israel's fight against Arabs terror wich is arabs portrayed as Zionists aggression, and thus back to the terror circle , , therefore the quartet 3 demands that EU's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema apparently seems not to understand , , , Haaretz quote " Officials in Jerusalem are concerned about possible erosion in the European Union regarding the embargo, as reflected in recent announcements by several European governments of their intention to reevaluate their stance following the Mecca agreement between Hamas and Fatah. ", , , ,

Tosefta - Are you kidding me? "one who never signed on to a ceasefire does not violate it?" WHAT THE F IS THAT?!!?? You are twisting International Law and the Rules of Engagement! Which then again I really shouldn't be surprise! If the state of New Jersey attacked New York, but it was an attack from a band of thugs unrelated to the security forces (i.e. police) you better believe the state gov't would be responsible. GEEZUS! You are rationalizing the unrelenting Qassam rocket attacks by saying, "well, it's not us, so we canm't do anything about it..." OK, Fine then...WE WILL!

Jeff - thanks for the reply. Beliebve me - I agree with you. Some just can not be rehabilitated - and for them we have prisons. I DO know that all of the charters as you describe are filled with venom-spewing hatred for Israel and praise/encourage/demand Israel's destruction and basic right to exist. I guess what I find hard to believe is that EVERY pal is like that. So my biggest frustration is why the 'good' have been silenced. WHERE THE F ARE THEY? Or perhaps i'm too naive as a 12th generation Israeli and they really don't exist. What a horrible thought! Shabbat Shalom.

This is a great article! It is showing that the Pals are realizing that terror and murder is not the way to building a state (country). Israel must stand firm with the international community and make sure that not only does the government accept the terms set by the quartet, but also to be held responsible for factions that do not agree with the PA government. Both Israel and the Pals have their extemists, Israel takes every effort to control and jail them. The Pals seem to name streets after them. Hopefully, the world turning its back on the Pals will help them realize which path to take for a prosperous future.

Israel has made many offers for peace over 60 years. Was a Pal state offered in 47? Yes, it was - admittedly by the UN. But how about in '48? yes. In the Sinai? Yup, and it was rejected again. OK, let's keep going: '67 when Israel was simultaneously attacked by 3 arab neighbors, she defended herself by securing Int'lly recognized threats to Israeli security...yet still there was an offer for peace and again a 2state solution. The Pals and Arabs declined without consideration. 73? Lebanon I? Offered the same old peace and 2-state solution here too! Lebanon II? Qassams hit CIVILIAN targets where NO military presence stands. Quite opposite from hiding amongst your women &children, & when they hit by crossfire you r surprised. But you prob wont reply 2 this, just like Musa who disappeared, and other Pals who look to engage in meaningful rhetoric with Israelis. Shalom, Shalom.

1. "The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has been violated by the Palestinians on a daily basis by Palestinian militant/terrorist groups who never signed on to ceasefire in the first place." - Jeff One which did not sign on a cease-fire does not violate it. There was no cease fire agreed by the "government" in the PA. Abbas notified Israel that all groups agreed to it. Perhaps so, but this is doubtful. In any case, Hamas is abiding by the cease fire. Islamic Jihad responds to attacks on it in the WB by firing Qassams from Gaza. Makes "sense" to me, within their logic. That's why I think a cease fire must extend also to the WB to have a chance. 2. Hamas and other groups agree to Abbas negotiating. They promise a hudna of 10 years. But this is long in the future. What they will do nobody knows, including themselves. In any case, the peace agreement must be approved by a referendum, and should contain some enforcing articles, such as a prohibition on any political party which does not accept the peace to participate in election. My point: A peace agreement should be negotiated. It can shape the future, not the other way around. 3. All the preconditions only serve to delay the negotiations by years and years. And they are not being imposed on the party to the negotiation, Abbas. Hence, they are really misdirected and harmful.

Hamas will never allow Israel to exist after they rearm during the so-called cease-fire or Hudna. They cannot even stop the rocket fire nor stop their own faction groups. It is a sham.

Howdy Max; "Peace" to a Palestinian means the destruction of the State of Israel, the raising of the banner of Allah over sq. cm. of the old British Mandate of Palestine, and the establishment of an Islamic theocracy under strict Sharia law in every portion thereof. The charters of all Palestinian militant/terrorist groups state this in black and white. Why don't you believe them? It might be possible to therapeutically rehibilitate a drug addict, but it is not possible to do so with sex perverts and religious fanatics.

Perhaps you'd like to re-read the news reports of 2005 when Israel offered a cease-fire (after full withdraw) from Gaza and got Qassam attacks increased 10 fold! Middle of 2006, after heavy operations in Gaza, the Pals and Israelis agreed to another cease-fire. The stipulation was that if it worked in Gaza, it wil lbe extended to the West Bank in a short time. How long did it take the Pals to break the cease-fire? 1 hour!! Why? They (like yourself) tend to block themselves from facts and reality. They wanted the West Bank immediately rather than wait for it like they agreed to. Personally, I think you'd be better off in Ramallah than Tiberias. They wouldn't ask you to subject your mind to rational thinking like we do here in Israel.

Howdy Tosefta; Cipora said it in a nutshell in # 28, but I'll try to give you some reasons. The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has been violated by the Palestinians on a daily basis by Palestinian militant/terrorist groups who never signed on to ceasefire in the first place. Why should Israel extend the ceasefire to the West Bank when it has not held in the Gaza Strip? The PA is no position to be demanding "a price" for a hudna when it can't get half-a-dozen Palestinian militant/terrorist groups to agree to it. Israel cannot "oppose" the formation of the new Palestinian unity government--that is an internal Palestinian matter, but she can deny them funds if they don't agree to the Quartet's three conditions. I don't see how negotiating with Chairman Abbas is going to do anything when Hamas, Islamic Jihad, PRC, PFLP, etc. are opposed to any permanent peace agreement whatsoever which does not include the destruction of the State of Israel in one way or another.

Musa I appreciate your views but why don't you try this approach. The Ppals are in a ceasefire and yet continue to plant bombs and shoot Quassams into Israel. It was the Pals that were sending sucide bombers into Israel. It was the Pals that were blowing themselves up at sedar dinners anD on buses killing people whos only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. King Abdullah has it all wrong. As the Pals rearm and Hhamas get training in Iran and you say to Israel do you want to live behind a fortress or in peace you have got to be kidding. Maybe try this when the Palestians love their children enought to stop teaching them lies about Israeli's and want a future for their familys and want to be part of the world community then their will be peace. Until then Israel,USA and the EU need to cut off all funding for Hamas and Palestians. The Pals are their own worst enemy

Israel should notr except any deal from Hamas, Abbas, or any other faction from the Pals. The first order of business is old business and that starts with returning 3 soldiers kidnapped from Israel. Then Israel must demand that Palestian sponsors deliver Rod Arad or all deals are off the table.If the USA and Israel and the EU hold back money Hamas will get the idea. That is if you want to go forward then you get all 4 soldiers back after all Israel and the USA and the EU are holding the checkbook. It works bothways. The biggest problem is Olmert and Peretz are the wrong men to be running the show at this crucial time. It's time Israel calls a no confidence vote and get these 2 Iidiots out from behind the steering wheel and vote someone that knows how to drive in power

"Try to sell this to the deaf and dumb." - Cipora The usual people counted in the Talmud as legally incompetent are the deaf (who couldn't learn anything), the imbecile, and the minor, such as in thge following law so familiar to you: "It is an ill thing to knock against a deaf, an imbecile, or a minor. He that harms them is culpable, but if they harm him they are not culpable." Nevertheless, if they buy something, this is considered legally valid purchase. The reason: Otherwise they may starve, since they may need to buy food, etc. I see Cipora that experience matters and you have learned something. I take it that when you say "the deaf and dumb" you really mean "the dummy". The dumb who is unable to speak is not considered legally incompetent. He/She can learn.

offers a ceasefire he can't enforce and keep.

We all know a truce would not be worth the paper it's written on... there are so many palestinian factions and not all agree to a so-called truce, so even if hamas and fatah honor the truce, we all know islamic jihad wouldn't. Unless and until they disarm all these terrorist groups, no peace or truce is possible. They want a truce? Return the Israeli soldier today - with no side deals.

Expand what cease fire? Where is it ? kassems dropping in Israel from Gaza again today. Olmert may be a fool and bumbler the People of Israel know there is no ceae fire - except from Israel IDF restricted by Olmert & Petzl

demand that abbas and hanyieh find those involved in shooting that rocket. arrest the person who actually fired it and those with him. no if's and's or but's. how hard can that be??? failure to do that will result in all communication cut off. the PALs need israel more than israel needs the PALs. Olmert grow some and make your own demands. Simply agreeing to extending the truce will have no real effect since even under truce they fire rockets.

This is farse. How can a government offer a conditional cease fire with a country they hate, and don't recognize. Peace is easy - re-direct arab hate for jews towards ignorance, illiteracy, and self destructive violence. Try a book, you might like it.

Brant - you hit it on the head! Good on you. Shabbat Shalom!

Musa, in your take on things, why must you attack the kindom when you have been offered your own on many many occfasions, but reject it every time at the last minute? You call yourself a 'Palestinian' - but that is the historical term for the ews living in the region known as British Mandated Palestine. One part of the fallen Ottoman Empire carved out by the Brits by LEGAL ionternaltional laws of engagement. The Jews who came BACK, PURCHASED the land legally from the British and local Arabs. Mind you it was wasteland at the time, and no one thought of it as valuable until it was cultivated. Finally, know that I am for a 2state solution, but one more question: as a rational sounding person, how can you let the destructive activities continue to happen (i.e. Qassams launched during a CEASE FIRE which Israel complied with), AND how do you explain that Israeli-Arabs enjoy the highest quality of life than any other Arab population in general? Lets keep talking - it's gotta help us both.

You are understandably irate. me too. our defense has put us in a quagmire...there are PALs that legitimately want peace, (believe it). They suffer greatly. To them, we should be sympathetic as they are the biggest pawns - created by their own to create the 'refugee population'. BUT with the morally difficient thieves of the PA, Hamas, etc. - how do we deal with this? Every accord written puts the Pals in charge of many many responsibilities. Read Geneva - - how the F are they going to make good on these? They are being set up for failure. THey need a legit opportunity to LEARN how to be good, peaceful people (as a whole) after 60 years of nothing but war. Do we expect that the drug addicted are going tofigure out how to be sober after 60years of abuse? no. we give them therapy. Here's the bottom line: the Pals/Arabs should be the most enraged thattheir lives have been stolen by their own fanatics. THEY need to take it back. Then we can live in peace. But we need to help them.

I find it odd that Fatah and Hamas are making an "offer" to Israel. Instead of making "offers" it should wait until Israel has an offer to make it. There have been so many "offers" that have been refused by Israel, that any unity government should just quit making them, work to consolidate international support, and not make any "offers," since they know what will be on "offer" from Israel will not constitute anything they can accept.

The article says: "Hamas and Fatah both support Abbas' bid to extend the cease-fire from Gaza to the West Bank, in exchange for Israeli noninterference with the Palestinian unity government that is due to be formed next week - including not urging Western countries to boycott it." That's chutzpah for you. Those Hamas scum want Israel not to interfere in forming a government composed of Hamas terrorists who refuse to even recognize Israel's existence? What else would you like Hamas, Israel to self-destruct? Suuure, why not? As far as "not urging Western countries to boycott" this laughable "unity" government which we all know is doomed to failure, on the contrary Israel should urge western gvts. to boycott it to the highest degree, until Hamas adheres to the three stipulations. It seems Israel has the upper hand diplomatically, at least for now and Hamas wants Israel to cede this position. In your dreams you lowlifes.

US sweet Condi said this Mecca deal complicate talks , embargo against Hamas led gov't stays in effect with quartet 3 demands ," Triple click that " , Ahmedimaniac ordered Hamas to keep violence against Zionism , pals quassams are still landing , Jihad Islamic said no to cease fire , , thus when Israel self defence hunt down arabs terror Islamic Jihad supported by Iran-Syria , his partner in crime Abbas will say Zionist aggression , and back again to the terror circle , , , otherwise , one pal voice and one pal gun with law and order ,in Gaza to begin with , and of course pals compliance to quartet 3 easy demands , would please US Condi Barbie Toy, what's your love-hate affair with AIPAC , Keep in mind AIPAC is acting within US Laws same as any other lobby group in US , can you square that back in your double click hysterical circle head , , ,

Forget it. Try to sell this to the deaf and dumb.

No Musa, It didn't start with Israeli occupation. It started when Egypt, Syria and Jordan decided to wipe Israel off the map in 1967. They lost and the consequences of their aggression lies at their doors.

In the recent past, before the issue of the unity government came up, the Palestinians offered Israel to extend the truce from Gaza to the West Bank as well. Israel refused. It wanted to avoid Qassams from Gaza while having free hand to chase and arrest militants in the West Bank. It mostly hit Islamic Jihad people. The result was that Islamic Jihad retaliated by firing Qassams from Gaza. The experience shows that a truce only in Gaza will not work. Now the Palestinians come with a similar offer, but want a price for it. Extend the truce to WB, PLUS Israel should not oppose the new government. Of course we can expect Israel to brush this aside. But this is unfortunate. Israel has good reasons to agree to the two suggestions separately: 1. The national unity government is good for Israel. It enables Abbas to become a partner while Hamas agrees to the negotiations. Hamas is not the negotiator, so there is no reason to impose preconditions on the talks. 2. If we want to have uninterrupted talks, there should not be terror activity going on at the same time. For this, a truce in both Gaza and the West Bank is necessary.

what you mean by occupation is the very present of Jews in Eretz Israel (Land of Israel). Jews were being murdered in mass in 1921, 1929, 1936 to 1939, 1947, and all by the Arabs of the country!!! Jews were willing to live on a very small part of the country and actually accepted for the sake of peace the UN Partition Resolution, 1947, only to be attacked by five Arab armies and the local gangs of Arabs as soon as Israel was proclaimed based on the UN resolution, 14 May 1948. But that was not enough for the Arabs. Israel and its Jewish population, having repelled the Arab armies, was being attacked continuously during the 1950s and 1960s, and in 1967 three Arab armies set out to do what they could not in 1948, to annihilate the Jewish state once again. Musa, this is how it started. Perhaps it is time you begin to address your own leaders and individually and collectively become a bit more introspective, before, once again, blame others, Israel in this case.

No matter what "Haaretz" editorials'd say "Israel must do"

Peace between Israel and the Palestine is a two sided affair. If the Palestinians don't stop firing their Qussam missiles there will be no peace. Equally true, if Israel doesn't stop their targeted assassinations, there will be no peace. Unfortunately, neither side has the moral courage to contain their 'devil inspired' impulses. Meanwhile, the United States is being suckered in by the hysterical AIPAC supporters and their propaganda machine.

Palestinians want the truce to get the money. The conditions should be clear. If there is violence from ANY Palestinian faction, the money stops immediately. No excuses.

The essence of Musa's argument is the essence of the lie on which the Palestine "myth" is based. The formation of the PLO predates the occupation by three years and, the instensification of anti-Israel rhetoric, terror by Palestinians and, in particular, several directly threatening acts by Nasser of Egypt occupied the three years between the PLO's founding in 1964 and Israel's stunning defeat of the Egyptians, Syrians and Jordanians in 1967. There would be no occupation if not for ill-fated Arab refusal to deal with Israel and there would be no occupation if Arab states were not still committed to fighting to the last Palestinian. This could have been settled easily if not for Arab intransigence but sadly, over all these years, the myth of an "ancient Palestine" and "stolen land" and "apartheid" and all of that has provided clever and even evil obstruction of a still unchanged reality: The late-arriving Arabs believe that the prior owner Jews have no rights to the land.No more;no less

This is silly of Abbas. It's like the dog catcher that says that if his wages are tripled , he will order all dogs to stop biting people. It's a promise he can't keep. What does Abbas offer? He offers an expansion of a cease fire that never existed anyway. Abbas and Haniyeh have pretty much exhausted the good cop (Abbas)- bad cop (Haniyeh) routine. Surely, they must have another routine.

... practically, they don't stand by their promises, e.g. what has Abbas done with the money givern to him?!, they violate agreements, they are not able to adhere to proper conduct of relations between political entities. It is high time to re-examine UNSC Resolutions 242 and 338 and assign other authorities the job of governming the disputed territories: 1) Gaza to be incorporated into Egypt, with full citizenship to Gaza residents. 2) Judea-Samaria to be incorporated into Jordan, with full citizenship to the residents of this territory. 3) Jerusalem, to be discussed between Jordan and Israel. And of course, full citizenship to all Arabs presently residing in Lebanon and Syria. Any questions? P.S. Shabbat shalom to Kath'

" Did`nt all of this start with Israeli occupation? " No.

Israel should reject all the truce craps of the dark forces. It gives them more time and respite to rearm, retool, restock, reorganize, recruit and rebrainwash their foot soldiers for further attacks on Israel. The dark forces should be neutralized completely so that they could never again attack Israel. They are driven by the evil ideology of Islamist-Jihadism for the destruction of Israel as their Charter clearly stipulates. Israel should never for their deceptions and craps.

With a truce as opposed to peace, Israel will not have to recognize Palestinian sovereighnty over biblical Israel. For peace or truce Israel gets the same thing - an end to violence.

given the conscript name of pals were recently coerced by Ahmedimaniac to continue violence against Zionism , , , this Africans and Mideast slaves mixture given the draft name of pals were ordered by Saudia to fight the claws of Zionism as a diversion from pals turfs wars leading to Feb. Mecca deal , , ,, we thus have now terror Abbas, a shaved hypocrite representant with a tie , converted to Hamas barking about a worthless, valueless cease fire , not to trust as experience proves , , , consequently instead of swallowing arabs drug to drowse prince of darkness pill and pretend that arabs terror , arabs violence , arabs conflict , arabs opposition to Zionism is solved while in fact just dormant for a while with an open eye so to speak , , , a cease fire deal subsequently should be in return for a comprehensive , regulated solution , a pals exodus isn't to be off the table , pretending otherwise is more likely frivolous and dangerous , pals exodus is more likely to be revealed as a bottom line no choice , , , or in exchange to a pals escape with their Al Aqsa stones to Dar El Harb ,and to low life mercenaries camps in Iran , and there let them bark at their death idolatres sponsors against their arabs flagrant human rights abuse , let them sort out between them this arabs fabricated questionable, 'fishy', reservoir of africans and Mideast shady slaves melange called pals , that they call refugees , , , they may have as much as they want arabs summit there , they have lands bigger than Russia and China combined for ten pals states should they decide to , , , fedex with'em these caliphated leftists , 1/4 chickens self proclaimed peace lovers , like rotten cabbage head spining , twisting and corrupting established human rights laws to favorise terrorists , to free murderers , portraying pirates as angels , idiots buying arabs repeated lies that by now have produced legs in public opinion of ignorant masses , populace , , , these caliphated leftists call them moderates arabs states when in their arabs streets and parliaments , their poisoned diktat populace with their elected officials bark , threatens , shout blood , death and fire , against cartoons , pope's speech , ramp renovations , or any other senseless stupid excuse that sparks and unleashes their pampered animosity , cruelty , ,

May-be there is no dialogue and they no choice but to resist

don't youthink they first have to stop firing Qassams at the Israelis? How can one have a dialogue with others who are shooting at you?

Everyone is sick of the killings, but by making accusations of guilt whether (right or wrong), like you do, you continue the cycle of bitterness and anger. The way to go is to find common ground and dialogue between the two sides, such as women's rights, freedom of the press and environmental issues.Then when the concerned citzens talk they will undermine the extremists and peace will have a chance.

islamic terrorists are offering open ended cease-fire except islamic jihad, lol, this is Hamas' last chance, civil war is at the door, those criminals should get rid of for the sake of palestinians who are having miserable life at the hand of them.

so tell other countries to continue giving money to a hamas-led government without the 3 conditions, stop hunting terrorist bomb-makers, and on top of that release some prisoners as a sign of good will? Wow......I don't even know what to say......in exchange for what?! Again, the true Pal nature shines through, wanting everything for nothing! Get real! When you guys FINALLY CHOOSE to make peace, real peace, give Israel a call; otherwise keep dreaming of one day having your own country. Shalom

Will the unity government be held responsible for the Qassams fire by Islamic Jihad or other militants after the ceasefire ,if ever there will be one??? The answer is not ceasefire but peace treaty between Israel and pals with a two states solution.

Arn't Israeli ..Palestinians and the whole world getting sick from this vicious cycle of violence and killings I AM and my Children are. Did'nt all of this start with Israeli occupation? Enough is enough. As king Abdullah said: "The main responsibility (for achieving peace) lies with Israel, which must choose either to remain a prisoner of the mentality of 'Israel the fortress' or to live in peace and stability with its neighbors." The alternative is more killings and suffering on both sides. Hope we all come back to any sense left in our brains and in our heart. Palestinians are not kidding and they are not crazy. They demand recognition and treatment with dignity from Israel. The solution at the end comes from within, not the US or the quartet. Accept the cease fire.

the pal are masters of spin. In gaza they continue to fire quassams at israel even thought a ceasefire was agreed upon. Israel has held back responding. Not one palestinian can ever be trusted at their word. If they want a better life and a possible state they must be disarmed... all factions. Without this... no peace...no mercy for those causing violence. the pals will use any ceasefire to rearm. They certainly will not develop an economy or a function state

- Only Idiots in Israel could support the PALESTINAN NEW "Initiative"! - REJECTION of VIOLENCE WAS DUTY of PA (according Oslo agreement). - Kidnapping of Gilad Shalit was a severe violation and should be punished as a CRIME. - Falling Qassams reveal the TERRORIST NATURE of PA LEADERSHIP (including ABBAS). where is cease-fire? - Money donated by EU and US had been stolen by a thief Arafat! Isn't it a proof that PALS shouldn't recieve any donations? - Refusal to accept 3 conditions of QUARTET demonstrate once again that PA doesn't have a leader who could become a partner in negotiations. - PALS-TERRORISTS don't deserve STATEHOOD. Even AUTONOMY is unbearable burden for them.

None of these terror groups will enforce the cease-fire and when Israel retaliates they will say Israel broke the cease-fire. Until they clamp down on these factions, no Unity government can be dealt with. When they prove capable and agreeable to peace then negotiations for land and borders can be achieved. Follow Quartet rules. SIMPLE. Ball in their court.

When the pals say "cease fire" what they really mean is "some of us may stop firing." So any one of several terror groups will at some stage launch terror attacks against the Isrealis, knowing that neither hamas or fatah will stop them. Indeed they will give their blessings and support. This will knowingly provoke a response from the IDF and then the pals will say that the Isrealis violated the cease fire.

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