Defense establishment to recommend 48-hour truce with Hamas

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The defense establishment on Tuesday said it would recommend that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert seek out a diplomatic initiative to abate the war against Hamas and embark on a 48-hour truce, before it becomes necessary to begin a significant ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Senior defense officials believe that such a diplomatic process need not be a unilateral Israeli procedure, but should rather be based on an initiative originally proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

The goal of the temporary calm would be to see if Hamas can abide by the truce and cease firing rockets at Israel.

The initiative is seen as a possibility to cease the operation before sending a massive Israel Defense Forces ground corp into the Gaza Strip.

The government will announce its decision regarding the temporary truce over the coming hours."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1051234.html

[Scurrilous]

1. Defense officials deny plan to propose 48-hour Gaza truce

<snip>

"Shin Bet and Israel Defense Forces officials on Tuesday denied reports that the defense establishment had recommend a diplomatic initiative to abate the war against Hamas and embark on a 48-hour truce, before it becomes necessary to begin a significant ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

According to the reports, senior defense officials were to propose that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert seek out the temporary truce, based on an initiative originally proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

The goal of the temporary calm would be to see if Hamas can abide by the truce and cease firing rockets at Israel."

more

[EFerrari]

12. So, basically, they'll agree to stop killing people if Hamas agrees

to take the blame for the killing.

[bemildred]

2. Israeli defense establishment to recommend 48-hour truce with Hamas

JERUSALEM, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli defense establishment said Tuesday it would recommend Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to embark on a 48-hour truce with Hamas, before it becomes necessary to begin a significant ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

The defense establishment would recommend Olmert to seek out a diplomatic initiative to abate the war against Hamas and initiate a 48-hour ceasefire, local daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.

Israeli government will announce its decision regarding the temporary truce over the coming hours, said the report, adding that the initiative is seen as a possibility to cease the operation before sending a massive Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground corps into Gaza.

Senior Israeli defense officials believe that such a diplomatic process need not be a unilateral Israeli procedure, but should rather be based on an initiative originally proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, said the report.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/30/content_10583314.htm

[bemildred]

3. Israel open to Gaza 'truce'

ISRAEL would consider suspending its offensive in the Gaza Strip to allow in humanitarian aid, but would need assurances that Hamas would hold fire too, an Israeli cabinet minister said today.

France has broached a humanitarian truce for Gaza as part of international efforts to stem the bloodshed from an air strike campaign Israel launched on Saturday with the stated aim of stopping rocket salvoes by Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

"If there is a proposal ... for a humanitarian truce, this does not contradict our preparations for a military operation," Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog told Israel's Army Radio, referring to the possibility of a ground invasion of Gaza.

"It could be that we would say, 'okay, all right, for humanitarian needs only'," and we would allow this. But of course this also depends on the other side, where it wants to take this confrontation," Herzog said.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24858760-23109,00.html

[bunnies]

7. In other words "We'll stop killing you for two days...

to let in food and medicine... but you better eat it fast, because we'll be back in 48 hours with tanks!"


What. The. Fuck.

[bemildred]

8. It's not even that much as yet.

Mainly it means (I think) that there is a lot of political pressure being applied. But it's just talk, or talk about talk, unless something is actually done. I am doubtful that this will end soon.

[bunnies]

9. Seems like some twisted PR stunt.

And obviously they dont feel incredibly threatened by Hamas if they're even considering taking a 'break'. It just gets more and more absurd.

[bemildred]

10. That is largely what politics is IMHO.

Show biz to keep the proles quiet.

[bemildred]

4. Israel To Consider French Truce Proposal For Gaza - Source

JERUSALEM (AFP)--Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet his foreign and defense ministers Tuesday to consider a French proposal for a temporary truce in Gaza, a senior government official told AFP.

"They will meet in an hour's time for an assessment where they will discuss the French proposal" for a 48-hour ceasefire in Israel's massive bombardment of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, the official said.

He was referring to a proposal French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner made in a phone call with Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20081230/ACQDJON200812301144DOWJONESDJONLINE000268.htm

[bemildred]

5. Israel military seeks temporary Gaza truce

GAZA, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Israel's military leaders are recommending a diplomatic initiative to establish a 48-hour truce in the country's offensive against Gaza militants, sources say.

Citing unnamed sources, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz says Israel's defense establishment was set Tuesday to urge Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to seek a two-day pause in the offensive before it becomes necessary to launch a ground invasion targeting Gaza positions held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Olmert was said to be considering making a truce announcement.

The prime minister said the airstrikes are a defensive measure aimed at stopping rocket and mortar fire from Gaza into southern Israel. Since the assault began last weekend, more than 375 Palestinians, most of them Hamas militants, have died, Palestinian medical sources said. The United Nations reported at least 60 of the dead were civilians.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/30/Israel_military_seeks_temporary_Gaza_truce/UPI-90401230638900/

[bemildred]

6. Israeli Ministers to Weigh Gaza Cease-Fire Proposal (Update1)

Dec. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Israeli ministers will discuss a French proposal for a 48-hour cease-fire in the bombardment of the Gaza Strip, an Israeli defense official said.

The Israeli army will continue military operations until a decision on the proposal, which was made by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, is made, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The proposal comes as Israeli air raids on the Palestinian- ruled enclave marked their fourth day, killing 369 people, according to Palestinian health officials.

The army will recommend the truce be used to prepare for a possible ground invasion of Gaza, the Israeli Haaretz daily reported, without saying where it got the information.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=asRp6tYw1sRY&refer=us

[azurnoir]

11. Ah ha so it is the maybe we will maybe we won't game?

why does Israel need to "prepare" for a ground invasion I thought tanks ct were lined up at the border ready to go, perhaps the call up of reservists is not going so well yesterday was the last day of Hanukkah maybe a number of them were out of the country? All in all its a bunch of keep 'em guessing BS.

[EFerrari]

13. There will be refusniks. I wonder if any of those stories will make it out.

[azurnoir]

16. if you mean M$M hells no

but on the 'net we'll have to look

[bemildred]

14. Carrot and stick.

Carrot is the "truce" on Israeli terms. Stick is ground operation. At least I think that's the theory at work here.

[azurnoir]

15. But who's the donkey?

ok its presumably Hamas but in the world of PR the question is open.

[bemildred]

17. I'm not asserting that it makes sense, or that it will work.

It's just that from reading all the blather, I think that's the "logic" or "plan" that's behind all the dithering over the EU truce proposal. I mean after all, we all are told all the time that "there is no military solution", and yet what we have here clearly is an attempt to force a military solution. So once you accept that military threats are effective political weapons, you wind up with "plans" like this.

[azurnoir]

18. I did not think you were asserting that it made sense

if fact "no sense" common or otherwise is the hallmark of both sides here. It was the mental picture couldn't quite get the donkey into focus

[bemildred]

19. Yes, you're right, Hamas is the Donkey.

I was sort of off on that other idea.
:hi:

[bemildred]

20. Israel's Barak looking 'favourably' at Gaza truce plan

31 December 2008, 00:57 CET

(JERUSALEM) - Israel's Defence Minister Ehud Barak is "considering favourably" a proposal for a 48-hour truce in and around the Gaza Strip, his spokesman told AFP on Tuesday.

"The minister is considering favourably the proposal for a ceasefire for humanitarian purposes," said Moshe Ronen. He made it clear he was talking about a 48-hour truce France had proposed.

"This doesn't stop us in any way from preparing for a ground offensive," he added.

He made the comments as Barak was meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to discuss the proposed temporary truce.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1230670023.07

[bemildred]

21. EU calls for permanent ceasefire in Gaza Strip

European Union foreign ministers joined international calls Tuesday for an immediate and lasting cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza.

The EU said in a statement after a meeting in Paris called to discuss the violence that food, medical aid and fuel should be delivered to Gaza, those injured in Israeli military action should be evacuated and humanitarian workers should be allowed access to the area.

"There must be an unconditional halt to rocket attacks by Hamas on Israel and an end to Israeli military action," it said.

The statement echoed a call for a cease-fire from the United Nations Security Council and the "Quartet" of Middle East peacebrokers, which includes the United States and Russia.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20081230/tpl-uk-palestinians-israel-europe-sb-43a8d4f.html

[Alamuti Lotus]

22. Olmert rejects French proposal for 48-hour truce - Summary

from LBN thread on the subject..

[bemildred]

23. U.S. presses Israel on cease-fire

WASHINGTON: The United States is pressing Israel to call a cease-fire in its assault on Hamas militants in Gaza, officials said Tuesday, while enlisting Arab countries to press Hamas to do the same.

The intensive diplomacy is being led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who made a flurry of phone calls over the last 24 hours to Israeli and Arab leaders. The goal, said a State Department spokesman, Gordon Duguid, is a "reliable cease-fire, one that is durable and sustainable."

"That is different from the ceasefire that existed in the last six months," Duguid said, noting that Hamas routinely violated the previous agreement by firing rockets into southern Israel.

In the past few days, the Bush administration has said Israel was justified in retaliating against Hamas's attacks. The United States still holds Hamas responsible for the eruption of violence in Gaza, Duguid said. But the Bush administration has begun to increase pressure on Israel, as the death toll from the attacks surpassed 350, including 60 civilians, according to a United Nations estimate.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/31/africa/31diplo.php

[tekisui]

24. And, that will go a long way.

I think we have seen the worst of it. Israel seemed to have held back from the ground invasion, and I think the bombs will stop soon.

I hope so, anyway.

[bemildred]

25. I have little faith in news stories about "pressure".

Though it would suggest that somebody is uncomfortable, and I certainly hope you are correct.

[bemildred]

26. Behind closed doors, U.S. seeks Israel exit strategy

Reporting from Washington -- While publicly declaring strong support for Israel, the Bush administration is increasingly nervous about the 4-day-old campaign in the Gaza Strip and is urging its ally to settle on a timetable and exit strategy, say foreign diplomats and Middle East experts close to the discussions.

U.S. officials are concerned that the campaign could drag on without destroying Hamas, and might even bolster support for the militant group -- just as the 2006 Israeli campaign in Lebanon strengthened Hezbollah, they say.

"You're not hearing that same confidence you did in 2006 that the Israeli military can impose a new strategic reality and should go full force," said one Arab diplomat in Washington. "There's a real contrast between their words then and now."

U.S. officials were talking intensively Tuesday to Arab and European powers about the possibility of a two- or three-day cease-fire, diplomats said. U.S. diplomacy is complicated by differences between the White House and the State Department, these sources said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-us-gaza31-2008dec31,0,6921608.story?track=rss