The latest update is that the long anticipated Hamas truce is "not expected until weekend". The suspense is killing me. On the other hand, the Associated Press reported yesterday that
Islamic militants agreed to halt attacks on Israelis for three months, Palestinian negotiators said Wednesday. But the tenuous deal was immediately undercut by an Israeli airstrike and Hamas threats of revenge.[emphasis mine] I don't know where the Associated Press finds its reporters, but think about it for a moment. The only reason a military force would accept a ceasefire is if it were under pressure. If you want an army to agree to a ceasefire and it is hesitating and stringing you along, that is precisely the time to increase the pressure, not to ease off.
Never mind the fact that a "ceasefire" with Hamas makes no sense to begin with. You only enter into a ceasefire with an adversary as a step toward co-existence. But co-existence with Hamas is impossible. Hamas is committed to removing the Jews from Israel. Entering into a "three-month ceasefire" with Hamas would be like the Allied forces who liberated Auschwitz accepting a "three-month ceasefire" from the Nazis.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 26, 2003 08:43 AMOK, say i am a dues paying member of Hamas. How do I complain about the so-called truce? I mean really, read the charter - there are no truces - if these guys are the brave men of islam that they trumpet so much, how dare they announce a truce with the zionists. I honestly do not understand Hamas, first they tread lightly on the rotary clubs, now a truce?
Posted by: jannol on June 26, 2003 08:59 AMHamas has had a habit of "negotiating" for a ceasefire agreement, then dragging their feet until a suicide attack and Isreali retaliation, and THEN indignently claiming that they "were about to" agree to a ceasefire. And Isreal has an unfortunate habit of playing Charlie Brown to Hamas's Lucy every time.
Sean has nailed it ( as has Stefan)- Hamas is always "about to sign a ceasefire" but never does. Even if they do this time, expect some previously unheard of group- AL-Quds Holy Martyrs or some such thing- to arrive with a wave of terror. All of these Palestinian groups cooperate when it comes to terrorism, as has been amply demonstrated many times over.
Posted by: QuietStorm on June 26, 2003 06:56 PM"If you want an army to agree to a ceasefire ...that is precisely the time to increase the pressure..."
Sometimes pressure helps focus the mind on the issues at hand. Given the amazing Palestinian talent to always act against their own best interest, a little pressure might be a good thing. During WWII, it only took a couple of relatively low yield nuclear devices to finally convince the Japanese that a "ceasefire" might be a good idea.
Posted by: StivS on June 26, 2003 11:18 PM