Obama backs Egypt's truce efforts, but says Gaza blockade must be lifted

[Jefferson23]

Obama calls for a solution that would prevent terror groups from attacking Israel while offering 'prospects for an opening of Gaza.'

By Arshad Mohammed Aug. 7, 2014 | 4:11 AM

REUTERS - President Barack Obama on Wednesday backed Egyptian efforts to broker a durable Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza but also called for a longer-term solution that provides for Israeli security while offering Gaza residents hope they will not remain "permanently closed off from the world."

Obama said the short-term U.S. goal is to make sure that a 72-hour truce holds and is extended beyond its Friday deadline, including the cessation of cross-border rocket fire by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

While condemning Hamas as "extraordinarily irresponsible" for launching rockets from population centers, Obama urged an eventual "formula" to ease the hardships of ordinary Palestinians who have suffered during the latest conflict. Israel maintains a blockade around the impoverished enclave.

"Long term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off from the world and incapable of providing some opportunity - jobs, economic growth - for the population that lives there," Obama said at the end of a summit hosting African leaders in Washington.

The Gaza truce held through its second day on Wednesday, and Israel said it was ready to extend the deal as Egyptian mediators pursued talks with Israelis and Palestinians on an enduring end to a war that devastated the enclave.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.609326

[ellenrr]

1. Jefferson, I find it hard to think that Obama's "ease the hardships of Palestinians"

is anything but political talk which serves some purpose at the moment.

but that in practice will turn out to be meaningless.

what do you think?

[Jefferson23]

3. He is beginning to speak to a plan that will end the conflict. These are the promises

Palestinians will receive if they agree to xy and z..more promises of prosperity
from the Arab league will surface too. Abbas from what I have read will be
the catalyst to move this forward. Many twists and turns to come since
the Palestinians are in a very weak position politically, more so now than
ever before in this conflict.

I have no idea how the Palestinians will be able to avoid those severe land swaps
in the negotiations that will come...that will depend on Abbas and the Palestinians
themselves. Easing their hardships? Obama is being truthful and sincere, making
sure they retain a viable state, that is a very different goal and one I would not
count on the US will push for...although with the massacre that Israel perpetuated
they will need political cover for their crimes. Obama could very well use that as
leverage with Bibi, and say ( quietly of course )..don't push your luck. I'll let you
decide what the odds are for that happening.

[ellenrr]

12. "Obama is being truthful and sincere, making sure they retain a viable state"

I completely disagree!
If Obama cared about "easing the hardships of Palestinians"
he would have spoken out about the killing of civilians, he would not have pushed thru additional $ to Israel.
The biggest hardship anyone endures is Death. Obama could have significantly reduced the death toll, but he said nothingfor 28 days.

I believe Obama is totally aligned with Israel's goals, in the interests of a cynical political agenda.
He has never spoken out about the siege.
(since being president -he may have, previous to his election)

Now, he does not call for the internal structures of Gaza - electricity, water - to be repaired.
He has not called for building materials to be allowed into Gaza.
His words are empty rhetoric.

Let's revisit this in time and see whether your or my analysis proves correct.

[Jefferson23]

14. ellenrr, you misunderstood, see my copy of what I said earlier.

Easing their hardships? Obama is being truthful and sincere, making
sure they retain a viable state, that is a very different goal and one I would not
count on the US will push for...

He is making sure they get relief, he is, that is different than a viable state, not one I would count on for him to push for..see
what I mean?

[ellenrr]

39. sorry no, I don't get it- but anyway I know you and I share the desire for

justice for Palestine.

[Jefferson23]

40. ok, but what I tried to convey was that, yes..Obama will make good on relief for the Palestinians.

And, I do not have confidence he will push for a viable state..peace out, back at ya.

[FBaggins]

2. Why the "but" in the title?

I thought that was part of the Egyptian position?

[Jefferson23]

4. That was my understanding too. n/t

[Jefferson23]

5. US envoy arrives in Cairo for Gaza truce talks

CAIRO (Ma'an) -- Acting US special envoy for Palestinian-Israeli negotiations Frank Lowenstein landed Thursday in Cairo where he is scheduled to meet with the Egyptian foreign minister and other officials to discuss extending Gaza's ceasefire.

The ceasefire is scheduled to end at 8 a.m. Friday unless a deal is reached to extend it.

Lowenstein said Egypt was working hard to try to prolong the ceasefire so to give negotiators enough time to reach an agreement on a long-term truce ending an 8-year, crippling siege on Gaza and assure that hostilities won't break out again.

A Ma'an reporter said that Israel agreed to more days of ceasefire, while the Palestinians are yet to determine whether they agree or not.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=718890

[Jefferson23]

6. Israel, Hamas at odds over truce extension

GAZA CITY (AFP) -- Israel and Hamas appeared at odds on Thursday over prolonging a 72-hour Gaza ceasefire, with Israel indicating it will back an unconditional extension but Hamas denying any agreement.

Fighting has ceased since 8 a.m. Tuesday, bringing relief to the Gaza Strip after the deaths of over 1,800 Palestinians and 67 Israelis.

Egyptian mediators have accelerated efforts to extend the truce after it expires at 8 a.m. on Friday, shuttling between Israeli and Palestinian delegations in Cairo.

"Israel has no problem extending the ceasefire unconditionally," an Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity late Wednesday. There was no immediate reaction from Hamas.

A spokeswoman for the Israeli army said 27,000 reservists called up for the conflict had been sent home, leaving a force of 55,000 still on active duty, in another sign of growing hopes for long-term quiet.

But Hamas deputy leader Mussa Abu Marzouq, part of the Palestinian delegation holding talks in Cairo, denied overnight there was yet any agreement.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=718777

[Jefferson23]

7. Hamas fighter: We have more weapons, can hit more Israeli cities

Al Jazeera report shows Hamas militants in terror tunnel as after a month of hiding from IDF, the fighters come out of the shadows and say they're ready to resume the rocket fire on Israel.

Roi Kais, Ynetnews
Latest Update: 08.07.14, 15:07 / Israel News

With time still on the clock of a 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after almost a month of fighting, a member of Hamas' armed wing warned Thursday that the group had yet to maximize its military potential.

“We prepared for a long battle. We can target cities we have not even hit in this war. We can penetrate the Israeli border again,” an Izz ad-Din al-Qassam commander told the British newspaper The Times.

"We have enough rockets, more than the enemy can imagine. We only fought with 10 per cent of our forces, the rest are on standby," said the fighter, named as Abu Laith.

He said that Hamas had been planning for the conflict since the end of the IDF's three-week operation in Gaza in the winter of 2008-9, including digging the tunnels that Israeli ground troops have spent the past weeks tracking and demolishing.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4555937,00.html

[Jefferson23]

8. Lieberman urges Germany and EU to send inspectors to Gaza

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has urged Germany to help find a solution to the conflict in Gaza, and notably to send inspectors to Gaza's borders along with other European Union countries.


Mediators were working on Thursday to extend a truce between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza, where half a million people have been displaced by a month of bloodshed that has devastated the Hamas-dominated enclave. A three-day ceasefire was due to expire on Friday.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556105,00.html

[bemildred]

9. Obamas statement is interesting.

You notice that now Israel will allow development in exchange for demilitarization.

Demilitarization and development are not really compatible however, and requires continued Israeli supervision of Palestinains affairs, which the Palestinians will reject.

Israel at this point wants to stall, Hamas wants change now.

[Jefferson23]

10. Appears Hamas may not be bluffing and ready to begin again but in the end, how can

they last much longer? Unless there is help on the horizon from friends which looks unlikely.

[bemildred]

13. Yeah, it's all kind of predictable up to that point.

If Hamas starts shooting again, which seems entirely possible to me, what is Israel going to do?

However, we really don't know what Hamas has left, they could be bluffing too.

The question I would ask is: Do we really want to find out?

[Jefferson23]

15. I wouldn't either, and not sure Lieberman wants to..so what is up with his request?

I took that to mean Israel does not want any more of this, especially if it means
going further in on the ground..more soldiers will die. Not sure what to make of
how pressured Israel feels from the US to have this come to a close..which the US
seem to want.

[bemildred]

16. Yep, but also "not back down".

A rock and a hard place, remember? They are looking for an out. The question at this point is what Hamas will do. Will they give them an out, for mercy's sake, or will they fire up the tockets and make the Israelis choose? Israel can then resume the bombing with the bad PR consequences, or make concessions, "back down".

The US would like it all to go away, and fast, but still fears the domestic consequences if it does not support Israel unconditionally.

"Unconditional" is a really popular meme right now because the status quo ante (Hamas quiescent, Gaza offstage) suits both Israel and the US fine.

[Jefferson23]

17. Hamas may go for broke, and win public support IF they can express to their people

that what Israel is promising has no real value when this is over. Yet, in the end, Hamas
has no winning strategy beyond that, not from what I can see. Obama could keep in
mind he is not running for anything any longer..but his legacy is still at stake.

Time will tell soon enough.

[bemildred]

18. Reason will only take you so far, people are not reasonable.

I don't really see that Hamas has a PR problem with Gazans as long as the blockade is there. At least not from the general public, the more radical types might be a threat.

If the blockade comes down, the jihadis lose their support and the Gazans themselves will stop shielding them. Maybe you have to put up with some rockets for a while, but it will end, it won't get worse.

Edit: and they still are poorly armed, an arms embargo would be no problem in this case I would think.

[bemildred]

23. Hamas: Gaza War Not Over Until Israel Lifts Blockade

GAZA CITY, Gaza City (AP) — A senior Hamas official told supporters at a Gaza City rally on Thursday that the war with Israel won't be over until the group's demands for a lifting of the Gaza blockade are met, insisting that its fighters would never give up their arms.

"Our fingers are on the trigger and our rockets are trained at Tel Aviv," the official, Mushir al-Masri said, as Egypt struggled to broker a lasting truce between Israel and Hamas, with an Egyptian official saying that Gaza-based militants were refusing to compromise.

Cairo is mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on extending a 72-hour cease-fire that expires Friday morning. Hamas has demanded the lifting of an Israeli and Egyptian blockade imposed on the coastal territory after the Islamic militant group seized power in 2007.

Israel has said the militants must disarm first, which al-Masri insisted was out of the question.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hamas-gaza-war-blockade

[bemildred]

19. I just got around to reading Obama's statement.

It's very well done, he is a smart politician. It's going to be hard to argue with, but they will anyway.

[Jefferson23]

22. He may use more pressure too, that is up to him. n/t

[bemildred]

24. That's the question. nt

[FBaggins]

20. The problem with that statement...

... is that it assumes that "Hamas" and "Palestinians" are the same thing.

The key here is that this isn't the case. There are Palestinian groups that Israel is apparently willing to work with.

The question is whether or not Hamas can be convinced to allow their influence to be reduced

[bemildred]

21. You can look at it that way, if you want to.

You assume that is possible, that they might be reasonable if the price was right?

[FBaggins]

25. I don't know about the price being right

It may be that they're beaten down enough.

I find it shocking (and a pleasant surprise)... but the current path appears to leave open the possibility that Palestinians will get what they need in Gaza...

... what I can't figure out (and I suppose to goes to your "right price" comment)... is why Hamas would do this now. What do they get?

I suspect that they'll try to retain power in Gaza by insisting on control over rebuilding funds (allowing them to buy support from the people). A deal that seems like real progress for the people of Gaza (and for Israel and Egypt) will not be acceptable to Hamas if it means that they lose power (and the ability to strike at Israel).

[Jefferson23]

11. Stopping Israel

by Bashir Abu-Manneh

Israel and its allies cannot hold back the struggle for democracy, human rights, and self-determination for much longer.

Israel has unleashed another round of destruction and suffering on the Gaza Strip, even more ferocious than its 2008-9 invasion. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have yet again been displaced, over 1,817 have been killed and 7,553 injured (mostly civilians), thousands of buildings have been fully or partially destroyed (including numerous mosques, schools, and hospitals directly targeted).

Neighborhoods in Shujai’yya and Khuza’a have been leveled and turned into piles of concrete and mangled iron. Witness accounts tell of whole families wiped out, collective assassinations, endless shooting at unarmed civilians, and around 430 children killed. There is no safe place in the Strip — not even UN schools turned into shelters that house well over 220,000 internally displaced Palestinians. After eight years of siege and blockade, forty-seven years of occupation, and sixty-six years of national dispossession, 1.8 million Gazans have been living in fear and terror for nearly a month now. The strongest army in the region is again bombarding its long-suffering population.

The cost to Israel has been mainly military: sixty-four invading soldiers killed and more injured. There have also been three civilian deaths from thousands of homemade Qassam rockets and mortars fired into Israel, many intercepted by the American-funded Iron Dome missile system. Many residents of Israel’s southern towns (where state-provided shelters are prevalent) have left to unaffected or safer areas.

Considering these facts, it is rather uncontroversial to conclude that for Israel the invasion of Gaza has essentially disrupted everyday life in the areas close to Gaza, but that for Palestinians in Gaza it has been experienced as devastation on an unprecedented scale. It will take years for Gaza to recover from the Israeli army’s material destruction, and even longer for Palestinians’ psychological scars, grief, and wounds to heal — if, that is, Israel allows them to live without bombs and invasions in the future.

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/08/stopping-israel/

[Jefferson23]

26. Egypt seeking to soften Hamas demands in bid to keep truce going

Defense minister: Hamas forced Israel into ground operation; Israel refusing to budge on Gaza demilitarization, sources say; international mediators intensifying efforts to secure extension of truce, progress in humanitarian aid.

By Haaretz | Aug. 7, 2014 | 4:00 PM |

Live updates [Thursday]:

4:15 P.M. Economy Minister Naftali Bennett threw his support Thursday behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for "standing up in the face of extortion attempts of terrorists at the expense of Israel, and in the face of demands to ease [conditions] that will just inject more power into the terror. The state of Israel cannot let itself be taken hostage by Hamas. Any concession to Hamas today will lead to a war tomorrow."

4:00 P.M. According to sources close to Hamas, Palestinian envoys in Cairo continue to insist that the blockade on Gaza be fully lifted and that an agreement be reached over the establishment of seaports and airports and the opening of border crossings. The Egyptian mediators are attempting to soften the demands. Egyptian officials say that the seaport demand, just like the Israeli demand that Gaza be demilitarized, should be discussed as part of a broader settlement and not as part of a cease-fire deal. The Egyptians are making efforts to reach an agreement that would focus on an unconditional truce and on humanitarian matters.

One of the issues at hand is the opening of the border crossings to allow wounded Gazans, especially ones in serious condition, to be transferred to hospitals outside of the Strip. Doctors in Gaza are complaining of severe overcrowding and equipment shortages. Over the past few days hospitals in Jordan, Germany and Egypt have expressed willingness to accept patients from Gaza.

According to the Palestinian health ministry, the death toll in the fighting is nearing 1,900 including 430 children, 243 women and 79 elderly people. More than 9,567 have been wounded, including 2,878 children, 1,854 women and more than 2,000 elderly people. (Jack Khoury)

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.609323

[Jefferson23]

27. IDF soldiers tasked with tunnel destruction not trained for primary mission

* Maybe they could ask Egypt

Soldiers were trained to fight in tunnels, though never taught how to search and destroy them.


By Gili Cohen | 12:51 07.08.14 |

While soldiers who operated in the Gaza Strip had been trained to fight in tunnels, they had never been trained to search for and destroy them, though this turned out to be their primary mission, soldiers and commanders who served in the Strip said.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.609345

[leftynyc]

28. Your headline is very misleading

I read the entire article and the only thing I saw that included the word "must" is regarding a long term solution. He came down very heavily on hamas.

[Jefferson23]

29. Hamas: If Gaza blockade isn't lifted, we'll renew fire Friday

Egyptians say Palestinians have hardened position in Gaza ceasefire talks as Islamist movement brings out its supporters to create an image of victory; Hamas spokesman to Palestinian delegation: Don't come back without our demands met.

Roi Kais, Elior Levy
Latest Update: 08.07.14, 18:23

Hamas says that if its demands are not met it will renew fire at Israel the moment the current ceasefire ends. The comments came as an Egyptian source told AP that the Palestinian delegation to the ceasefire talks in Cairo had hardened its position after Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders arrived.



Meanwhile, in Gaza, Hamas was trying to create an image of victory two days after the 72-hour ceasefire came into effect. Thousands arrived on Thursday with green Hamas flags to a demonstration in support of Hamas and the Palestinian delegation to Cairo.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556144,00.html

[FBaggins]

33. Aw... crap!

They're going to blow it... aren't they?

[Jefferson23]

34. They may do so, yes. To them they are not blowing it, there are no gains thus far, so they

may go for broke.

[FBaggins]

35. "To them they are not blowing it"

That's what it looks like.

They obviously don't care about the people they're supposed to protect. I've always assumed that "we love death more than you love life" was just a rallying slogan (if insane-sounding to me)... but it just very well might be true.

[Jefferson23]

36. Right or wrong, they are stating now and have before, that no matter when they have kept to

agreements, it does not result in anything of substance for them. When people are desperate
they do desperate things..expecting all people to submit is not likely to occur. Human nature
will find a way to fight back, and that usually does not come packaged in a hearts and flowers campaign.
Their people in Gaza have expressed some tragic sentiments, such as they would rather die quickly
than slowly under the siege...judge them as you will. To me, this tells me how beyond hope people
can become.


Civil disobedience, en masse was not the chosen path for Hamas, and I will add, not for Abbas, either.

They are both mistaken, imho.

[Jefferson23]

30. Egyptian official: PA representative threatens to quit talks, if Hamas doesn't show 'flexibility'

The Egyptian security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the Palestinian delegation's stance had hardened after the arrival in Cairo of Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders from the Gaza Strip.


He said Azzam al-Ahmad, the leader of the delegation and the representative of Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, had threatened to withdraw from the talks if the two militant groups do not show more "flexibility," adding that the delegation, which was supposed to leave Cairo on Thursday, would stay through the weekend.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556195,00.html

[Jefferson23]

31. German foreign minister: prepared to play a part in monitoring border crossings

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Bild: "Together with our European partners we are prepared to play a part - for example with an EU mission to monitor border crossings. We are holding intensive talks with all sides to work out what would be necessary for this."



Steinmeier said those things in response to his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman who said that "Israel did not want to govern Gaza again but a solution was needed for the people who live there. And Germany should take responsibility as the leader of such a mission".



Germany has traditionally seen itself as a protector of Israel, mindful of the Holocaust of Europe's Jews committed by Nazi Germany in World War Two.



"I don't know if only having customs officers with the same arms as police will be enough to get things under control," he said.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556184,00.html

[Jefferson23]

32. Hamas pressured to accept Egypt’s cease-fire demand

A cease-fire was finally reached between Hamas and Israel on Aug. 4 in the wake of Egyptian intelligence negotiations with the Palestinian delegation.

Izzat al-Rishq, member of Hamas’ political bureau participating in the Cairo negotiations, told Al-Monitor that the movement “approved of Egypt’s call for a 72-hour cease-fire, as of 8 a.m. on Aug. 5 and of the launch of indirect negotiations regarding the truce conditions, based on the demands agreed on among the Palestinian delegation and presented to the Egyptian side.”

An Egyptian official close to the negotiations told Al-Monitor that the United States pressured Israel, while Qatar and Turkey pressured Hamas to agree to the cease-fire. “Public and secret efforts preceded the call for a cease-fire, and there was pressure on all parties to reach this stage, which might put an end to the raging war. The UN and the US administration have played a role to influence Israel, as did Qatar and Turkey with Hamas. Moreover, the battlefield in Gaza has madly flared up, which means that the alternative would be a new wave of actions and reactions and more victims.”

Ismail Haniyeh, the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau and former Gaza prime minister, said in a speech on the evening of Aug. 5, “Hamas has shown great responsibility in dealing with the political actions and has communicated with Qatar, Turkey and Egypt to stop the aggression and lift the blockade to serve the optimal political purpose and to reach an end worthy of the sacrifices of our people and the performance of our resistance in a way that does not overlook the sacrifices offered by Gaza. The enemy will not get through politics what it failed to achieve in the battlefield.”

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/08/palestinian-delegation-to-egypt-cease-fire-gaza.html#ixzz39itGgmak

[Jefferson23]

37. Obama: Gaza cannot remain closed off

US president expresses support for Cairo talks and marks next step: opening Gaza's gates to the world; also expresses 'distress' for death of civilians, accuses Hamas of acting 'irresponsibly' in firing rockets, digging tunnels.

Yitzhak Benhorin
Published: 08.07.14, 08:39 / Israel News


WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama discussed on Thursday the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and said "the short-term goal has to be to make sure that rocket launches do not resume, and that we are now in the process of helping to rebuild Gaza. Long term, there has to be a recognition that Gaza cannot sustain itself permanently closed off".

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4555888,00.html

[Jefferson23]

38. Israel stripped of Davis Cup tournament due to conflict

LONDON (AFP) -- Israel will not be allowed to stage the Davis Cup World Group tie against Argentina in Tel Aviv in September because of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, tournament chiefs said Thursday.

The tie, set for September 12-14 at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv, will either be switched to a neutral venue or be played in Argentina.

"The Davis Cup Committee determined that, while the military conflict seemed to be slowing down, there was no certainty that this would be the case at the time of the tie that is due to take place in five weeks," said an International Tennis Federation statement.

"The Committee felt that its first priority was to ensure the safety of the players, officials and the public and regretfully decided that the tie would not be held in Israel as originally scheduled."

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=718984

[Jefferson23]

41. EU powers propose: Gaza reconstruction in exchange for Hamas disarmament

Germany, France and Britain present Israel with initiative aiming to rehabilitate Gaza with European oversight, while preventing terror groups from rearming.

By Barak Ravid | 08:06 06.08.14 |

Germany, France and Britain presented Israel with an initiative to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip, subject to an international supervision apparatus that will prevent the rearmament of Hamas and other terror groups in the Strip.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.609310

[Jefferson23]

42. Israel to declare Gaza 'enemy territory' to avoid payouts to inhabitants

Decision would mean Israel would not be liable for damage incurred to residents of the Strip as a result of Israeli actions during Operation Protective Edge.

By Barak Ravid | 23:35 07.08.14 |

The cabinet is expected to declare the Gaza Strip as enemy territory. A senior Israeli official said the decision would mean that Israel would not be liable for damage incurred to residents of the Strip as a result of Israeli actions during Operation Protective Edge.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.609531

[Jefferson23]

43. Gaza electricity company fixed 6 main lines, working to repair more

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Gaza Electricity Distribution Company has repaired six main lines supplying electricity across the Gaza Strip and is poised to fix several others, the company said on Thursday.

The announcement comes as electricity availability in the besieged coastal enclave has hit two hours a day following the Israeli bombing of the region's sole power plant as well as because of the widespread destruction of electric infrastructure over the recent 30-day assault.

Company spokesman Jamal Dardasawi told Ma'an that three main lines from Israel had resumed operation in the northern Gaza Strip as well as three other lines from Egypt in the south.

Two main lines supplying Khan Younis in the south have also been connected to the Israeli grid, he added.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=718875

[Jefferson23]

44. Hamas: Ceasefire extension contingent of seaport establishment Ynetnews Published: 08.07.14, 21:50

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556248,00.html

[Jefferson23]

45. Back from Gaza, troops talk of a tougher Hamas and feelings of a job unfinished

Something has changed in Gaza since the last time St.-Sgt. Amit Strugo was sent there to fight.

http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Back-from-Gaza-troops-talk-of-a-tougher-Hamas-and-feelings-of-a-job-unfinished-370445

[Jefferson23]

46. Israeli Army Whistle-Blower Gets Arrested After Posting ‘Israeli Troops Killed Gaza Civilians

August 3, 2014

in Revenge’ on Facebook



Former combat soldier and company sergeant of the Israeli army turned whistle-blower Eran Efrati, aged 28, was arrested by the Israeli authorities and questioned concerning his research regarding the use of illegal weapons in Gaza.

On Tuesday, July 29, Efrati announced on Facebook that he received information from sources within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealing what he claims to be the real reason for the Shuja'iyya massacre which occurred nine days prior on July 20: namely that civilians were targeted and killed by Israeli soldiers as punishment for the death of soldiers in their units.

In recent weeks I was on the border of Gaza and getting reports from soldiers in the Gaza Strip who leak information out to me. I am in the process of publication of two big stories in major U.S. newspapers, but there are some things I can share with you right now: Soldiers in two different units inside Gaza leaked information about the murdering of Palestinians by sniper fire in Shuja'iyya neighborhood as punishment for the death of soldiers in their units. After the shooting on the Israeli armored personnel carriers, which killed seven soldiers of the Golani Brigade, the Israeli army carried out a massacre in Shuja'iyya neighborhood. A day after the massacre, many Palestinians came to search for their relatives and their families in the rubble. In one of the videos uploaded to YouTube, a young Palestinian man Salem Shammaly calls the names of his family and looking for them between the ruins when he is suddenly shot at in his chest and falls down. A few seconds after that, there are two additional shootings from snipers into his body, killing him instantly. Since the video was released, there was no official response from the IDF spokesperson. Today I can report that the official command that was handed down to the soldiers in Shujaiyya was to capture Palestinian homes as outposts. From these posts, the soldiers drew an imaginary red line, and amongst themselves decided to shoot to death anyone who crosses it. Anyone crossing the line was defined as a threat to their outposts, and was thus deemed a legitimate target. This was the official reasoning inside the units. I was told that the unofficial reason was to enable the soldiers to take out their frustrations and pain at losing their fellow soldiers (something that for years the IDF has not faced during its operations in Gaza and the West Bank), out on the Palestinian refugees in the neighborhood. Under the pretext of the so-called “security threat” soldiers were directed to carry out a pre-planned attack of revenge on Palestinian civilians. These stories join many other similar ones that Amira Hass and I investigated in Operation Cast Lead. The death toll that continues to rise is steadily reaching the numbers of the massacre of 2009.
More than 1,100 have been killed in Gaza, at least 80 percent of them civilians. Today it is cleared for publication that at least 4 soldiers were killed by a rocket in a gathering area outside of Gaza, and another soldier was killed in Gaza. They join 43 soldiers that have already been killed. We know that more acts of revenge will come soon and it is important that we not stay silent. This is the time to take to the streets and to social media. Demand from your representative wherever you are to stop supporting this massacre and to immediately boycott the state of Israel until the occupation ends, the blockade is lifted and Palestinians will be free. We all want to be in the right place at the right time when history knocks on our door, and history is knocking in Gaza right now. You need to decide on which side you want to go down in history.

In addition to being arrested and questioned, Efrati had both his Facebook and email accounts blocked and apparently received death threats aimed at keeping him silent. He wrote:

in full: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/08/03/israeli-army-whistle-blower-leaks-account-of-revenge-attacks-against-civilians-by-israeli-troops-in-gazas-shujaiyya/

[bemildred]

47. That story seems to have legs.

Lots of people still making noise about it. HRW, the UN, Amnesty.
Even seeing a few in the Western press.

[Jefferson23]

48. Yes, it's only the beginning, I think. n/t

[bemildred]

49. Quite.

I can't decide whether Bibi will resume bombing to delay and dither some more, or not want to risk upping the war crimes charges.

[Jefferson23]

51. I have no idea any more. His cabinet seemed disappointed with that horrific analysis

you posted the other day..too many still calling for blood. But they did not give a vote
of yes, so what will be enough of a substitute?

Just heard 2 rockets fired into Israel..so there is that. CNN

[bemildred]

52. Their butts are on the line too.

Thanks, I've been waiting for that, the rockets. I figured they wouldn't wait long, but you never know until it happens.

[Jefferson23]

54. Yea, that is true..cooler heads prevailing seems unrealistic.

Live updates [Thursday]:

4:35 A.M. Twp mortar shells were apparently fired from within the southern Gaza Strip towards Eshkol Regional Council just after 4:00 A.M., several hours before the cease-fire is set to expire. The shells hit open areas, and no injuries were reported. (Shirley Seidler)

4:02 A.M. Rocket alerts sounds in town near Gaza border. (Haaretz)

2:10 A.M. Israel's warnings of the dangers posed by Hamas and other Islamic militants is not a "spin, or a whim," says Netanyahu, speaking on Fox news channel, The threat, he said, is based on "a clinical diagnosis of a pathological movement that is sweeping our area but will soon come to a theater near you and it has to be stopped now.”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.609323

[bemildred]

55. Now this is what I've been waiting for. What happens now?

What does Bibi do?

[Jefferson23]

56. Can't he figure out a way to blame the UN? Hey, shit I really want to go back and

finish this, but we are not Hamas..blah blah blah... Can't someone write a fucking exit
for this guy..we had to concede a little and this is for the Palestinians, not Hamas.

[bemildred]

57. LOL. Yeah, something like that. nt

[bemildred]

50. At some point, various other issues are going to come up:

1.) The poor performance of the IDF
2.) The intelligence failures surrounding the tunnels
3.) The lack of well-defined military objectives, and the way they kept inprovising new ones
4.) The high civilian/military ratio in the Palestinian casualty figures
5.) The high military/civilian ratio in the Israeli casualty figures
6.) The lack of anything accomplished

To name a few.

[Jefferson23]

53. Concise list, and as you suggest..it will grow. n/t

[Jefferson23]

58. AIPAC's Phony Iron Dome Vote

August 6, 2014

by M.J. Rosenberg

The last item Congress voted on before going on vacation for five weeks was a $225 million appropriation to "replenish" Israel's Iron Dome system.

That makes sense. The system is protecting Israelis from rocket assault Of course we want to replenish Israel's arsenal?

The answer is simple. No replenishment was necessary now. Nor will the vote speed up the resupply which was in the pipeline anyway.

According to my sources on Capitol Hill, several of whom spoke to the Pentagon, the sole reason for the vote was to enable AIPAC and its House and Senate cutouts to demonstrate their support for the war.

One Democratic House aide put it like this: "It's crazy. We represent a minority district that is hurting in every way you can imagine. But it's Israel we appropriate extra money for on the last day before recess! I'll tell you. As a Jew working for a minority member, it is just so f---ing embarrassing. Only 8 House members voted no but a lot more than that were thoroughly pissed. When does the grovelling
stop? "

- See more at: http://mwcnews.net/focus/politics/44356-iron-dome-vote.html#sthash.QV0z2Moh.dpuf

[Jefferson23]

59. An insane alliance: Israel and Egypt against Gaza

Despite its mediator role, Egypt is no impartial broker. It shares Israel’s view that Hamas can be crushed and suffocated into submission. Palestinians wonder how their ex-ally can leave Gaza to burn.

By Khaled Diab | 17:21 08.08.14 |

Egypt-Israel-Gaza is possibly one of the most bizarre and perhaps twisted love-hate triangles of recent times. Washington’s credentials as an honest broker have rightly been questioned over the years, and Egypt was traditionally seen as a welcome counterbalance to U.S. bias, but Cairo has lost its pro-Palestinian credentials. It can scarcely be seen as an impartial broker.

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.609595

[Jefferson23]

60. Palestinians say 5 killed in Gaza; Iron Dome intercepts two rockets in south

Three Israelis wounded by shrapnel; more than 40 targets in Gaza struck since 8 A.M.; Egypt says only few outstanding issues remain in negotiations; Bennett: Gaza operation isn't over.

By Haaretz | Aug. 8, 2014 | 8:02 PM

The Israeli Air Force attacked targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday morning, following renewed rocket barrages on Israel, as Operation Protective Edge enters its 32nd day.

The cease-fire lapsed at 8 A.M. Friday amid confusion as to whether it would be extended. Palestinian sources told Haaretz that agreement had been reached to extend the truce for three days, but other sources said that it would not be renewed. Hamas had warned that it would resume hostilities if its demands were not met.

Since the cease-fire's expiration, more than 45 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel. The Israeli Air Force has responded by striking more than 40 targets in Gaza.


For Thursday's live updates, click here

Live updates [Friday]:

8:02 P.M. Two mortar shells explode in Eshkol Regional Council, one explodes in Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. (Shirly Seidler)

7:42 P.M. Rocket explodes in open area in Sdot Negev Regional Council. (Shirly Seidler)

7:41 P.M. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement to the media: "We have not yet received a document with the Israeli answer to our demands. Just yesterday, we received a memorandum of understanding from the Egyptian side, and this document did not respond to any of our requests - the airport, the sea port, the buffer zone, the expansion of the fishing area, etc. There was also no explicit mention of the lifting of the siege....We think Israel is dragging its feet. They did not respond to our demands and has not done a thing to show that there is a reason to extend the cease-fire. Now all options are open....However, the door to continued conversations is not closed. The decision to comply with our requirements is in Israeli hands." (Jack Khoury)

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.609571

[Jefferson23]

61. 3 more killed in Gaza despite unofficial ceasefire until 8 p.m

CAIRO (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces launched an airstrike on al-Qarara in the Gaza Strip that killed three Palestinians on Friday afternoon in the middle of an "unofficial" ceasefire that was due to last until 8 p.m.

The deaths brought the total Palestinian death toll in the month-long assault to 1,898 with more than 9,825 injured.

Sources close to talks in Egypt had told Ma'an earlier Friday that an unofficial cessation to hostilities would be implemented until 8 p.m. as mediators attempt to reach an agreement between Palestinian and Israeli delegations.

Well placed sources in Cairo said that Palestinian and Israeli delegations had "agreed to almost all main points that need a solution" through indirect talks.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=719099