Ticked off terrorists and their friends
On Wednesday, the outgoing Israeli cabinet adopted a proposal by eventually resigning Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert that linked a 'cease fire' in Gaza to the release of kidnapped IDF corporal Gilad Shalit. The cabinet announced that while Israel is prepared to exchange an unspecified (and rapidly growing) number of terrorists for Shalit, the crossings from Israel to Gaza would remain closed until that exchange took place. The reasoning behind the decision was that there is a growing fear in Israel that Shalit will end up in perpetual captivity like Ron Arad, who has now been missing for more than 20 years after an initial captivity in which he was known to be alive and negotiations were taking place. Hamas reacted with fury. Hamas called the security cabinet's decision a "stab in the back" to Egypt's efforts to facilitate a prisoner swap and a cease-fire agreement.But Hamas did more than fume. Wednesday night and Thursday morning they launched four rockets and mortars into southern Israel. The IDF responded Thursday afternoon with three attacks in the Rafah area that wiped out six more smuggling tunnels. Tonight, Hamas responded with three rockets, two of them long-range Grad-type Kassams that landed outside of Netivot.
Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said the group would not "succumb to Israel's attempts to extort us." He said Hamas was not in a rush to reach a cease-fire that would suit only Israel. "We preserve the right to defend ourselves," he said in response to a question about the possibility that the security cabinet's decision would lead to another round of violence.
But it's not just Hamas that's angry over the linkage. Egypt is as well.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Thursday blasted Israel's latest demand that captured soldier Gilad Schalit be released before a long-term Gaza truce deal with Hamas is struck.And tonight, the Egyptians suddenly recalled a trade delegation that was visiting in Israel in what is widely seen as revenge against Israel for the linkage.
Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said the demand was a blow to Egyptian mediation efforts between the two sides.
Zaki said linking Schalit to the truce would "hinder any chances for a cease-fire."
Amidst the diplomatic tensions, a visiting Egyptian delegation in Israel for routine quarterly discussions on Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) arrangements between Egypt, Israel and the United States – was ordered to return home at once.Egypt wants a deal because they want a diplomatic achievement and because they want to remove the pressure on them to open the Rafah crossing. But Israel has decided that its interest is getting back Gilad Shalit, and it is unwilling to do anything that does not move it closer to that goal (nor is it willing to enter into an agreement of any kind with Hamas).
Estimates are that the order comes as another signal to Israel that Egypt is displeased with the cabinet's decision. The foreign ministry said it was disappointed with Egypt's decision.
The ministry expressed its "sorrow" over Cairo's decision in a statement. "This is an economic meeting that is as much an Egyptian interest as it is an Israeli one. This decision sends a negative signal to Israeli, Egyptian and American businesses looking to promote trade between the countries. We are hopeful that the committee's discussions will soon be renewed."
So we wait.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:55 PM
6 Comments:
I know I'm getting way ahead of myself, but I am somehow hoping that government does not give in on this demand. And that it serves as the first step towards a better policy vis-a-vis MIAs.
Is there any evidence that Gilat Shalit is alive?
Unless there is clear evidence and communication with him there is no need to negotiate anything.
I propose instead of releasing terrorists, execute them. And keep raising the price for Hamas. That's the only kind of language they truly understand.
Dear Egypt...
Your a bunch of retards...
You supported the Nazi during WW2....
You USED Gaza from 1948 - 1967 as a base to terrorize Israel
You still view the Yom Kippur war as a CELEBRATION in your country...
You allow smuggling for years into the Gaza Strip
Your history on KILLING Sudanise Africans INTO is amazing since you never had stopped ONE arab from smuggling into gaza...
Now Hamas hold Gilad Shalit...
He should be returned for ONE arab...
1 for 1
What? a JEW is worth more you say?
OK...
you have reset the rules...
IF you attack and hurt one of us? we harm 1000 of yours....
IF you KILL one of OURS? we IN SELF DEFENSE will kill 1000 of yours.......
Produce Gilad in 24 hours alive or suffer a direct bombardment on Gaza City....
What is "Occupation"?,
You were great until the very end. Egypt couldn't give a damn about Gaza City. To influence Egypt, you'd have to bomb Cairo.
Produce Gilad in 24 hours alive or suffer a direct bombardment on Rafah's border and force 1 million gazans into the sinai...
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