Although the details of yesterday's agreement are not totally clear, it appears that 13 terrorist factions, including the three major terrorist organizations – Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad – have agreed to extend the present informal ceasefire until the end of the year. They refused to agree to anything resembling an official truce with Israel, however.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the agreement reached among the terrorist leaders in Cairo yesterday is an important first step. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) was happy with what he achieved in Cairo, calling the agreement "important and serious," and saying it will "give the peace process a chance to move forward."
Some say the agreement is downright dangerous for Israel, however. Hisham Abdel Rezak, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said today that the agreed-upon arrangement is a "dahadiye," or somewhat less than a "hudna." A hudna is a ceasefire that remains in effect until one of the sides feels that it can defeat the other. Rezak said that the present arrangement is even less binding than that, and is really only a "calming" of the situation that will allow the sides, if they wish, to easily "get down from the ladder."
Hamas official Muhammed Nazzal said that even this limited agreement will expire at the end of the year if Israel does not meet its demands. These include the release of all terrorists, withdrawal from Arab-populated cities in Judea and Samaria, and an end to all military activities.
Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon - who apparently feels less restricted in his speeches following what most see as his "firing" by Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Mofaz – said today that the "calming" agreement is nothing for Israel to get excited about. "Until Abu Mazen collects all the weapons, this conflict will not end," he told a Haifa audience today. "Camouflaged by [this agreement], the terrorists are arming, manufacturing explosives and shoring up their forces."
Ynet reports that at least one terrorist leader, Salah A-Din Brigades leader Abu Abir, refuses to be bound by even this limited agreement. "I say to the residents of Sderot that you better return to your shelters," Abir said, "because what is awaiting you – you have not yet seen the likes of it."
A top PA official told The Jerusalem Post that Abu Mazen invited the Damascus-based terrorist groups to move to Gaza Strip after Israel leaves – and that most of them had agreed to do so.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the agreement reached among the terrorist leaders in Cairo yesterday is an important first step. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) was happy with what he achieved in Cairo, calling the agreement "important and serious," and saying it will "give the peace process a chance to move forward."
Some say the agreement is downright dangerous for Israel, however. Hisham Abdel Rezak, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said today that the agreed-upon arrangement is a "dahadiye," or somewhat less than a "hudna." A hudna is a ceasefire that remains in effect until one of the sides feels that it can defeat the other. Rezak said that the present arrangement is even less binding than that, and is really only a "calming" of the situation that will allow the sides, if they wish, to easily "get down from the ladder."
Hamas official Muhammed Nazzal said that even this limited agreement will expire at the end of the year if Israel does not meet its demands. These include the release of all terrorists, withdrawal from Arab-populated cities in Judea and Samaria, and an end to all military activities.
Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon - who apparently feels less restricted in his speeches following what most see as his "firing" by Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Mofaz – said today that the "calming" agreement is nothing for Israel to get excited about. "Until Abu Mazen collects all the weapons, this conflict will not end," he told a Haifa audience today. "Camouflaged by [this agreement], the terrorists are arming, manufacturing explosives and shoring up their forces."
Ynet reports that at least one terrorist leader, Salah A-Din Brigades leader Abu Abir, refuses to be bound by even this limited agreement. "I say to the residents of Sderot that you better return to your shelters," Abir said, "because what is awaiting you – you have not yet seen the likes of it."
A top PA official told The Jerusalem Post that Abu Mazen invited the Damascus-based terrorist groups to move to Gaza Strip after Israel leaves – and that most of them had agreed to do so.