IDF Intelligence Chief Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today that a "hudna" cease-fire agreement between the terror organizations and the PA is on the way to being finalized. He said, however, that formulating its details will take a few more days. Amidst all the talk, however, the fact that the cease-fire will not encompass all of Israel or its residents seems to be ignored.
Islamic Jihad sources said yesterday that they would agree to stop terrorism against civilians living in pre-1967 Israel. Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal, in Jordan, said the same, adding that he would not agree to have Hamas weapons confiscated. Even under the terms of the talk-of-the-town ceasefire, it thus appears, residents of Yesha and soldiers would continue to be fair game for the terrorists' murderous designs.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad also demand that Israel stop IDF counter-terrorism activities, including raids and targeted killings of terrorist leaders. Israel has said that it will cease these operations, unless they are against what is known as "ticking time-bombs" - terrorists on their way to an attack. GSS head Avi Dichter is currently in Washington, providing the Americans with explanations and examples of the term "ticking time-bombs."
The lack of a PA-Hamas agreement is delaying Israel's transfer of security control in northern Gaza to the PA. Israel is unwilling to withdraw its forces and entrust control of Kassam rocket cells and other terrorists to the PA until Hamas agrees to stop its terrorism.
The next Abu Mazen-Hamas-Jihad meeting is tonight, pushed off from yesterday. Abu Mazen must first meet with his Fatah terrorist organization and make sure that it will stop its own attacks against Israel. As reported here yesterday, even though Hamas has become the terrorist organization the world loves to hate, Fatah - the PLO's largest faction, headed by Yasser Arafat and Abu Mazen - has also been involved in many murderous terrorist attacks. The most recent of these were the murder of Avner Maimon of Netanya on Thursday and the killing of four Israeli soldiers at the Erez Checkpoint in Gaza nine days ago.
Islamic Jihad sources said yesterday that they would agree to stop terrorism against civilians living in pre-1967 Israel. Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal, in Jordan, said the same, adding that he would not agree to have Hamas weapons confiscated. Even under the terms of the talk-of-the-town ceasefire, it thus appears, residents of Yesha and soldiers would continue to be fair game for the terrorists' murderous designs.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad also demand that Israel stop IDF counter-terrorism activities, including raids and targeted killings of terrorist leaders. Israel has said that it will cease these operations, unless they are against what is known as "ticking time-bombs" - terrorists on their way to an attack. GSS head Avi Dichter is currently in Washington, providing the Americans with explanations and examples of the term "ticking time-bombs."
The lack of a PA-Hamas agreement is delaying Israel's transfer of security control in northern Gaza to the PA. Israel is unwilling to withdraw its forces and entrust control of Kassam rocket cells and other terrorists to the PA until Hamas agrees to stop its terrorism.
The next Abu Mazen-Hamas-Jihad meeting is tonight, pushed off from yesterday. Abu Mazen must first meet with his Fatah terrorist organization and make sure that it will stop its own attacks against Israel. As reported here yesterday, even though Hamas has become the terrorist organization the world loves to hate, Fatah - the PLO's largest faction, headed by Yasser Arafat and Abu Mazen - has also been involved in many murderous terrorist attacks. The most recent of these were the murder of Avner Maimon of Netanya on Thursday and the killing of four Israeli soldiers at the Erez Checkpoint in Gaza nine days ago.