International player could enter Gaza cease-fire impasse

An international player is attempting to renew talks between Israel and Hamas about the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, according to senior government sources in Jerusalem, who would not identify the entity involved because of the sensitivity of the issue. The contacts were currently at the level of initial feelers, said the sources.

The report follows remarks of Shin Bet security service head Yuval Diskin at the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday that international figures were trying to push dialogue between Israel and Hamas in view of the lack of faith between Hamas and Egypt, which had been mediating contacts. .

It is unclear how serious these moves are, or how interested Israel is in such mediation. Sources in the foreign and defense ministries said no official approach has been made to Israel on the matter.

A Foreign Ministry source said yesterday: "So far there have been many volunteers to mediate between Israel and Hamas. But we have rejected them all also because of Egypt and also because we did not want to encourage countries to talk to Hamas." Defense sources made similar statements: "We are staying close to the Egyptian channel," they said, adding, "Besides, we have nothing to talk about with Hamas. Let them stop firing missiles first."

Spokesmen for the foreign and defense ministries and the Shin Bet declined to comment.

International entities, among them some European countries, could be promoting quiet contacts of the kind mentioned by Diskin; Hamas approached Russia two days ago to replace Egypt as a mediator. Another possibility is Germany, mentioned by senior figures in Hamas in an interview with Al Jazeera as a possible replacement for Egypt in mediating the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Hamas sees Germany as a candidate in light of its success in mediating prisoner swaps with Hezbollah.

France and Great Britain have also come up as possible candidates.

The French have put out feelers toward Hamas both directly and indirectly, through former diplomats. For example, a few months ago French newspapers reported on the Gaza visit of a former French ambassador, who met with Hamas head of government in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh. The reports proved a source of tension between Israel and France, especially as the ex-ambassador had received a green light from the French foreign minister. Following the news stories, the foreign minister's backing was withdrawn.

Great Britain has also had contacts with Hamas, particularly following the kidnapping of BBC reporter Alan Johnston between March and July 2007. British diplomats came to Gaza and met with Hamas leaders. Last year, the former Hamas government spokesman in Gaza, Razi Hamad, went to a conference in Wales and met with British diplomats.