Thursday January 15, 2009

I'm Predicting:

There have been positive signals about a cease fire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, but we cannot read much into even those signals.

Here's why:
To paraphrase Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, in a statement he made after meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Maratinos:
Theses signs are simply that, they are signs.

To paraphrase a Hamas spokesman:
Hamas has not accepted the Egyptian proposal and neither have they rejected it.
Hamas has given their reservations and if their reservations are not addressed, they will reject the proposal.

To quote him directly, in translation:
"The talk of progress exists only in the media."
"Hamas is unwilling to agree on a permanent ceasefire because the significance of this would be to halt the resistance."

Of course the list of Hamas reservations cannot be accepted.
Hamas hasn't put together a list of reservations.
Hamas put together a wish list that Egypt has already totally rejected.

Let's get real.
Talks should and will continue.
And so will the fighting.
This situation is not about to end.

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