Egyptian mediator has "high expectations" for Gaza-Israel truce

Date: 12 / 05 / 2008 Time: 11:47
Bethlehem/Gaza – Ma'an –

A high-ranking Egyptian mediator said on Monday that he has "high expectations" that a ceasefire agreement could be reached between Israel and the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.

The head of the Egyptian intelligence services, Umar Sulaiman arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday and met with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Sulaiman is scheduled to meat with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem later on Monday.

Answering a question from a journalist, Sulaiman made a thumbs-up sign, and said in English, "high expectations".

Israeli political sources told reporters on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will visit Egypt in the coming weeks to discuss Egypt's ceasefire proposal with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Olmert will not, however, attend a meeting of the Egyptian, American, and Palestinian Presidents in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm Al-Shaikh next week.

Under the Egyptian plan, Israel will accept the opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, Palestinian fighters will halt the fire of homemade projectiles, and Israel will stop military action in Gaza. After six months, the ceasefire will extend to the West Bank.

For his part, Israeli Deputy Defense minister Matan Vilnai said he would consider the Egyptian-supervised ceasefire proposal already signed by 12 Palestinian factions.

Separately, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said he would support releasing Palestinian prisoners with "blood on their hands" in exchange for the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who has been detained in the Gaza Strip since 23 June 2006.

Tremors of conflict

Even as Sulaiman arrived, Palestinian fighters continued to launch homemade projectiles from the besieged Gaza Strip into Israel, part of what they see as their right to resist Israel's continued attacks on the Palestinian territory.

On Monday morning, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for launching two projectiles at the Israeli city of Ashkelon, north of the Gaza Strip. At least one woman was treated for shock when one projectile landed near a residential building, Israeli media reported. The other rocket landed in Ashkelon National Park.

Al-Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, also claimed responsibility for launching three projectiles at Sderot and Netivot late on Sunday.

Hamas's Alzahar: Israel has a chance to seize during Sulieman's visit
Monday May 12, 2008 14:34 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies
Hamas's leader in Gaza, Mahmoud Alzahar, said on Monday that Israel has an opportunity to seize today as the chief of Egyptian intelligence is submitting to Israel the Hamas ceasefire, mediated by Egypt last month.

In a press conference, held by the preparatory committee for the commemoration of the 60TH anniversary of Palestinian Nakbah (Catastrophe), aL-Zahar, commented on Sulieman's visit by saying " we will adopt a position in light of the visit's outcome and we can say that the Israelis have a chance to take now. Our people have the right to resist until they attain their legitimate rights".

He explained that his party is awaiting to receive the Israeli response from the Egyptian side by tomorrow Tuesday, voicing the hope that the Israelis would weight wisdom and stop hostilities.

From his part, a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad group in Gaza, which did not sign the ceasefire initiative, said that his group's position has not changed; the Islamic Jihad does not 'beg' a truce from Israel and does not either seek such a truce.

Last month, representatives of 12 Palestinian factions agreed in Cairo to a ceasefire offer, the ruling Hamas party had submitted to Egyptian mediators. Israel initially downplayed the offer as ' a maneuver by Hamas to rearm and reorganize' after recent fighting with the Israeli army in Gaza.

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