Int'l Pressure for New Ceasefire

Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

The United Nations, Egypt and France are putting pressure on Hamas and Israel to declare a new ceasefire following more than three dozen mortar and rocket attacks on the western Negev Friday and on the Sabbath, causing damage but no serious injuries.
Gaza Belt residents, the Opposition and members of the coalition government have accused the Olmert administration of total irresponsibility by abiding by the June 19 truce while Hamas and other terrorists groups continually attacked Israel.

The Cabinet on Sunday will discuss the situation in Gaza on Sunday for the second straight week. Last week, leaders on all sides said that action must be taken, but the outcome of the Cabinet meeting was a continuation of the current policy of not retaliating except for targeting rocket-launching cells that the IDF posts catches in the act of trying to attack.

Kadima ministers Shaul Mofaz, Meir Sheetrit and Chain Ramon have taken positions opposite outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Ramon and Shas chairman Eli Yishai called for an urgent discussion Sunday to propose retaliation before a rocket or mortar shell claims lives, as they have done in the past.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he is "extremely concerned" over the escalation. "The 'calm' should be respected and extended, rocket attacks against Israel must be immediately halted and all acts of violence must cease," his office said.

Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who visited United States President George W. Bush on Thursday, also called for renewal of the June 19 ceasefire, which was punctuated for the first five months by more than 40 attacks on Israel.

The agreement crumbled altogether in early November, when the IDF discovered a plan by terrorists to use tunnels to kidnap IDF soldiers. The IDF attacked the cell, and Hamas responded with a daily barrage on the western Negev.



On Saturday, Egypt called for Hamas and Israel to hold fire, and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stated, "Dozens and dozens of rockets are raining down on Israeli territory. At the same time the Gaza Strip is blocked: water, electricity, medicine, essential goods are lacking."


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