Olmert sets terms for cease-fire: International body to enforce future deal

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is interested in the establishment of an international supervision and enforcement mechanism for any cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Olmert has made that a precondition of any deal and emphasized it in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other world leades.

"Israel cannot agree that the only party responsible for implementing and regulating the cease-fire be Hamas," a senior Israeli diplomatic source said yesterday.

According to the source, lack of an external supervisory body was the central reason for the collapse of the calm earlier this month.

"The situation in which Hamas didn't have to account for implementing the cease-fire did not prove viable," the source said.

Olmert clarified in yesterday's cabinet meeting that Israel will not end the Gaza operation until it achieves its goals. The cabinet did not debate any cease-fire proposals and resolved to continue the operation already approved.

"We did not go into the Gaza operation only to end it while rocket fire continues," Olmert said.

According to Olmert, a decision now to opt for a cease-fire would carry a heavy price.

"Let's say we unilaterally stopped and a few days from now a barrage fell on Ashkelon," he said. "Do you understand the consequences in Israel and the region? For Israeli deterrence, for Israeli measures."

However, Olmert left the door open for a possible future deal.

"If the conditions mature and we think they offer a solution that ensures a better security situation for southern Israel, then we will consider the matter. We aren't there yet," he said.

Olmert believes that any cease-fire must include the end of rocket and mortar fire, an end to terror attacks on the border fence and the end of arms smuggling and the growth of Hamas power. He strives for an enforcement mechanism that can measure whether Hamas meets its commitments.

Senior Hamas official Ayman Taha said yesterday that his organization is willing to consider a proposal that would end the Israeli attack and end the siege of the Gaza Strip.

"As soon as we receive a proposal, we will study it," Taha said. "We support any initiative that would end the aggression and lift the siege."

According to Jerusalem sources, Olmert's conditions were passed on to the United States and other entities in the international community. The U.S. is trying to "sell" Israel's conditions to other groups, including those that talk to Hamas.

"The Americans understand what we want and accept the parameters," the sources said. "The world wants to stop the operation - no problem, but on our terms."

In yesterday's security cabinet meeting, ministers were updated on several cease-fire initiatives, but none yet meet Israel's terms. The most prominent is the U.S. effort to push Israel's conditions.

Olmert yesterday talked to U.S. President George W. Bush and promised him Israel is working to avoid harm to Gazan civilians. Bush emphasized that "Hamas must stop the missiles."

"We must reach a long-term and stable cease-fire Hamas will honor," Bush said.

Also on the table is a Turkish-Egyptian push for a cease-fire. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Damascus yesterday and is slated to arrive in Cairo today.

Turkish president Abdullah Gul yesterday told Israeli president Shimon Peres that "Turkey wants a cease-fire that will last."

"Other countries in the region take advantage of Hamas, which could lead to a deterioration in the entire Middle East," he added.

In addition, the European Union is attempting to broker a cease-fire deal. On Monday, a delegation including the foreign minister of the Czech Republican - which currently holds the EU presidency rotation, the Swedish foreign minister and the EU foreign affairs commissioner, is slated to arrive in the region.

In addition, French president Nicolas Sarkozy and foreign minister Bernard Kouchner are scheduled to arrive Monday.

Today, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will meet the pair in Paris ahead of that visit.

In addition, the UN Security Council met last night to discuss the situation in Gaza.