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Report: Egypt to mediate ceasefire between Israel, Hamas

Sources in Jerusalem say cabinet's decision to wait on extensive military op in Gaza made in part in attempt to see if Cairo's efforts to facilitate truce between fighting parties materialize

Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem revealed Wednesday that Egypt has decided to take an active role in stopping Hamas from gaining more power in Gaza Strip.

 

Cairo, said the sources, decided to step in before Israel decides on a large-scale operation in Gaza.

The Egyptians reportedly relayed a message to that effect to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who visited the country as part of her Mideast tour.

 

Palestinian sources told the Reuters news agency that Egyptian Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman will submit a ceasefire bid between Hamas and Israel by next week. The bid will reportedly include the halt of all violence, as well as reopening the Gaza crossings.

 

According to the Jerusalem sources, the Egyptian bid is the reason that the security cabinet refrained from ordering a large-scale operation in Gaza at this time, creating a political horizon – at least where the questions of the smugglings from the Philadelphi Route and Israel's opening the Gaza crossings are concerned.

 

The attempt to reach a political solution to the situation in Gaza is shared by Israel, the US, the EU, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. Egypt is to be the go-between with Hamas, as it tries to find a solution both sides can live with.

 

Egyptian officials are in constant contact with their Israeli counterparts on the matter. Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry's diplomatic bureau, as well as a Foreign Ministry mission, have recently met with various government officials in Cairo.

 

Both Israel and Egypt intend to step-up the frequency of these meetings in the coming weeks, as the Foreign Ministry intends to push for a solution to the smugglings emanating from the Philadelphi Route.

One of the options explored is to allow Egypt to move an additional 750 soldiers into its side of the Rafah Crossing, but the Defense Ministry is against the idea.

 

Coinciding with the diplomatic route, the IDF is said to continue its operations against Hamas in a limited form.

 

A large military operation, stressed Jerusalem, would jeopardize the Egyptian efforts, disrupt the peace talks with the PA and harm Israel's international standing.

 

"We're better off letting Egypt be a part of trying to find a solution," a diplomatic source told Ynet. "We can always resort to an extensive military operation if that fails." 

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.06.08, 01:05
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