Israel Matzav

Hamas threatening cease fire hudna

Hamas and other 'Palestinian' terror groups are already threatening the day-old cease fire hudna this morning, after breaking it by sending five rockets screaming into Israel yesterday morning. As I noted yesterday, several terror groups have refused to sign on to the hudna. Some terrorists just went out and joined new terror groups teams. Hamas has dismissed as 'unacceptable' 'moderate' Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen's threat to arrest any 'Palestinian' violating the hudna. And this morning there is a new threat: Abu Mazen's own al-Aksa Martyrs' Brigade has said that it will not abide by the hudna if Israel continues to arrest its members in Judea and Samaria. And Hamas' 'military wing' Izaddin Kassam said that the hudna will collapse if Israel continues its military operations in Judea and Samaria. You all recall that yesterday, the 'Palestinians' said that this would only apply to Gaza, yet listen to this statement from one Abu Obaidah, a spokesman for Izaddin Kassam:

"The Israeli aggression must stop in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip," he said. "This is a temporary cease-fire and any Israeli assault on our people in the West Bank will be viewed as a violation of the agreement."

The weakened Abu Mazen is trying to use the hudna as a way of consolidating what little power he has in Gaza:

Shortly after the cease-fire went into effect at 6 a.m. Sunday, Abbas ordered the deployment of some 13,000 PA policemen in the northern part of the Gaza Strip to stop the firing of rockets at Israel. Abbas also ordered the policemen to arrest anyone who violates the cease-fire.

But sources close to Abbas expressed fear that Hamas would try to torpedo the deployment of the security forces. They also worried that some officers would refuse to carry out Abbas's instructions, either for political reasons or to protest unpaid salaries.

Abbas's threat drew sharp criticism from Hamas, which warned against any attempt to arrest its members. "The era of political detentions has gone forever," said Khaled Abu Hilal, spokesman for the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry, which is formally in charge of the PA security forces.

Condemning Abbas's threat as "provocative," Abu Hilal said: "Such threats don't help preserve the cease-fire; on the contrary, they jeopardize the cease-fire. We urge those who are issuing threats to backtrack or to deny them."

In other words, this is not going to be Abu Mazen's Altalena. Also this morning, Hamas introduces its very own Baghdad Bob named Ahmed Bahar:

Ahmed Bahar, a senior Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, claimed that the initiative for the cease-fire came from Israel, not the Palestinians. "The Israelis started begging for a cease-fire because of their defeat [in the Gaza Strip]," he told reporters. "The Palestinian resistance played an important role in repelling the Israeli army. The Palestinians are always triumphant."

No, Ahmed, that's not quite what happened....

But the truth is that Hamas really needs and wants this hudna.

Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-led government, said representatives of all the armed groups were expected to hold a meeting late Sunday to assess the situation in the aftermath of the cease-fire announcement. "We want this agreement to succeed and take hold," he told The Jerusalem Post.

"We will also launch an investigation into this morning's violations of the cease-fire. There is a consensus on the Palestinian side that the cease-fire must be based on the principle of reciprocity. I believe that all the groups are interested in maintaining this cease-fire."

All the groups are interested in maintaining the hudna, because they need the time to rearm and regroup after the damage Israel has inflicted on them in Gaza over the last couple of weeks.

Senior IDF commanders are not pleased with the ceasefire, which many feel will only serve the interests of terrorists based in Gaza.

According to intelligence reports, the ceasefire will provide Gaza-based terrorists an opportunity to rearm in preparation for the next armed conflict with IDF forces.

Speaking to Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) on Sunday, MK (National Union) Effie Eitam, a retired brigadier-general stated the ceasefire is a mistake, stating with absolute certainty that the hiatus in fighting will only serve the interests of terrorists who are restocking in preparation for an escalation in attacks and fighting.

In fact, the terrorists even have a schedule. They have given Israel six months to surrender all land beyond the 1967 suicide lines.

Hat Tip: YID with LID

In fact, that's not all Hamas politburo chief wants in return for a cease fire hudna and a 'Palestinian' unity government.

Our sources learn he has left Cairo leaving behind a list of tough demands and headed for Yemen to lead a secret Hamas conference called to plot the next Palestinian-Israeli war.

These demands are disclosed here by our military sources:

1. To procure Shalit’s release, Israeli must free 1,400 jailed Palestinians in three stages, including all Hamas, Fatah and other terrorists, such as Marwan Barghouti, who was convicted to six life sentences for murdering six Israelis.

For the first batch of 400 women and minors, the Israeli soldier will be handed to Egypt. After the second batch of 500 (including the murderers) is released, Shalit’s parents and Israeli representatives will be allowed to see him.

2. Israel must halt all military operations in the Gaza and West Bank, including preventive detentions.

3. For his consent to a Palestinian unity government, the Hamas politburo chief wants a mechanism for opening the Palestinian Liberation Organization umbrella to Hamas membership and appointing him permanent chairman in place of Mahmoud Abbas.

Meshaal will thus acquire total control of the Palestinian movement and its resources worldwide.

4. Hamas will retain treasury, interior and foreign affairs in the unity government.

5. Within six months, Israel must withdraw to the June 4, 1967 borders and an independent Palestinian state established, else the Palestinians will wage a third intifada.

Meshaal backed off the threat of the 'third intifada' last night.

Mashaal, who spoke during a taped show on a state-run Egyptian television station, said Hamas would be willing to give negotiations more time if there was a chance to "open a political horizon".

"I said six months, but do you want more than six months? Maybe we can take eight months or a year," Mashaal said, responding to a question from Nabil Shaath, the Palestinian Information Minister and a member of Fatah.

...

But Mashaal also warned: "If the door is sealed and the horizon is closed (for creating a Palestinian state) then we have to look for another choice. We will impose our will on the Zionist enemy and the international community."

"The most important thing is that the Palestinian people will not give up their rights. They will not surrender and will carry on their struggle," the exiled Hamas leader said during the taped program titled "Point of View".

YNet notes that it is 'unclear' when the program was taped.

Six months, eight months, a year - the 'Palestinians' are preparing for the next war. But the Olmert-Peretz-Livni government refuses to see the light of the oncoming train in the tunnel. It continues to delude itself that there will be 'peace,' and is not preparing for war. And Israel continues to burn.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:21 AM