PM Rejects Hamas 'Hudna' Offer
By Tzippe Barrow
CBN News - Jerusalem Bureau
December 23, 2007
CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM, Israel - At Sunday's Cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel will not accept the offer by the Hamas terror organization for a hudna - a temporary cease-fire.
Olmert said Israel has no intention of allowing the terrorists to regroup and strengthen themselves, which by definition is the purpose for a
hudna.
"For months, our security forces have conducted numerous [counter-terror] operations in the Gaza Strip to reduce to a minimum the Kassam rocket fire, which has plagued the residents of the South, and to target those responsible for Kassam fire," he said.
"There is no way to describe what is taking place there other than as a real war between the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and the terrorist groups," Olmert said.
"This war will continue, while making sure to avoid a humanitarian crisis that could harm civilians who are not involved in terrorism," he said, adding that the policy required "patience and resilience."
Hamas Must Accept Quartet's Three Principles
Until the Hamas terror group accepts the three principles stipulated by the Quartet (United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia), namely to renounce terrorism and uproot the terrorist infrastructure, to recognize Israel's right to exist, and to accept past agreements signed between Israel and the PA, there will be no negotiated cease-fire.
"Whoever accepts the Quartet's requirements will, in principle, be a partner for negotiations," Olmert said. "Whoever is not willing to do so, to our regret, cannot be a partner for dialogue with us," adding that "this policy will not change."
At the Cabinet meeting, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the IDF had to press on with counter-terror operations against the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.
"Hamas is considering a cease-fire because IDF operations are so successful," Barak said, who also told Cabinet members that Israel is doing everything possible to secure the release of IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit.
Hamas Offers to Release Shalit
In an attempt to sweeten the hudna offer, Hamas threw in Shalit's release as part of the deal.
"Hamas wants to end the case of Gilad Shalit as soon as possible," a source close to Hamas told Jerusalem Post Palestinian Affairs correspondent Khaled Abu Toameh. "They are even prepared to accept a smaller list of Palestinian prisoners in return for Shalit," he said.
Shalit was kidnapped in June 2006 in a cross-border attack on an IDF outpost near the border with Gaza. Two soldiers were killed and three wounded in the attack.
On Monday, senior Israeli officials will meet to discuss the prisoner release.
Barak to Meet with Mubarak
In the first visit since his June appointment as defense minister, Barak will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh Wednesday to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
On the agenda is the ongoing arms smuggling from Egypt into the Gaza Strip and the release of Corporal Shalit.
Barak will also meet with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman and Defense Minister Mohammed Tantawi.
Sources: Ha'aretz, The Jerusalem Post, YNet news service, The Associated Press
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