Hamas Warns Truce Doomed Unless Prisoners Freed

[drdon326]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=721&e=5&u=/nm/20030709/wl_nm/mideast_dc

GAZA (Reuters) - A U.S.-backed Middle East peace plan was under new strain on Thursday after the main Palestinian militant group Hamas warned that a cease-fire would unravel unless Israel freed thousands of prisoners.
Adding to tensions over the prisoner issue, Palestinian witnesses said Israeli soldiers had detained three Palestinian boys playing outside a flashpoint Jewish settlement in the West Bank.


The truce was declared by Palestinian militant groups at the end of June, but many Palestinians think Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has failed to win enough back from Israel in return.


Up to 8,000 Palestinians, including minors, have been arrested since an uprising for independence began in September 2000.

Israel has said it will release hundreds of prisoners, but will not free anyone accused of being behind suicide bombings and ambush attacks.

However, Hamas founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, warned on Wednesday militants could not stick to the truce unless jailed comrades were freed.

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oh...so now they dont want to "dismantle", they want to add to
their ranks.
and now they threaten extortion.

[Jim Sagle]

1. And the band played on.

[mike_c]

2. has Israel ever honored a single committment made during I/P peace...

...negotiations? Ever? I can't recall any that they haven't outright retracted later or "modified" to gut their lasting conribution to peace efforts.

In the present instance:

1) Hamas promises a 3 month cease-fire in exchange for release of Palestinian prisoners, the majority of whom are held under judicial circumstances that mirror U.S. policy toward Guantanamo Bay "detainees."

2) Israel agrees, and the cease-fire begins.

3) Israel says they didn't REALLY mean that they'd release most of the prisoners, only a very small percentage.

What's Hamas to do? Adhere to the cease-fire, or counter that they REALLY didn't mean to stop all attacks on Israel, on a few....

Again, has Israel EVER negotiated in good faith with the Palestinians and delivered on their promises without subsequent dithering and modification, and "that's not what we really meant to agree to?"

[drdon326]

3. Nice try..

"1) Hamas promises a 3 month cease-fire in exchange for release of Palestinian prisoners, the majority of whom are held under judicial circumstances that mirror U.S. policy toward Guantanamo Bay "detainees.""

bzzzzzt...wrong premise...

that hudna was made between abu and the murderers....hoping
that israel would agree. That is not mentioned in the
road-map. All it is , is some lame-o excuse not to honor
their commitments.

now beside being murderers they are EXTORTING,LYING MURDERERS.

[drdon326]

4. No answer....oh well

if anyones interested....

http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/critiques/Hijacked_by_the_Hudna.asp