Ami Ayalon to call for cease-fire talks with Hamas

Minister Ami Ayalon is planning to propose that Israel initiate indirect negotiations with Hamas, with Egyptian mediation, to bring about a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Ayalon, a minister without portfolio and a leading figure in the Labor Party, will raise the idea during a meeting of the security-political cabinet on Wednesday.

Behind closed doors, Ayalon has emphasized that "if we are talking with Hamas about [captive IDF soldier] Gilad Shalit, then why should we not talk about a cease-fire?"

Ayalon has expressed this view in talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. All three are opposed, at this stage, to any negotiations with Hamas over a cease-fire, insisting that Hamas would only use the hiatus in the fighting to reorganize its forces and acquire more arms, in anticipation of another round of hostilities.

Ayalon also intends to make other recommendations in the meeting on Wednesday. For example, he supports striking buildings from which Qassam rockets are fired. He is also of the opinion that Israel should reach a new understandings concerning the Gaza border crossings, along with Egypt and the international community.

"The Egyptians can mediate and this can restore calm," Ayalon has said. "Even without a cease-fire they will acquire arms. After all, how did they acquire the Grad rockets?"