Rebuilding their lives. Destruction in Gaza
Photo: Reuters
Senior Palestinian figure: Armed factions very interested in truce with Israel
Source tells Ynet armed factions realize civilian population wants period of calm to recuperate from IDF offensive
"The Palestinian organizations are very interested in sustaining the truce with Israel, despite the power struggles we are witnessing during the negotiations in Cairo," a senior Palestinian figure told Ynet Monday.
According to him, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as the other armed groups in Gaza, realize that the Palestinian civilian population expects a period of calm following the IDF's recent offensive in order to return to normalcy.
The source added that the Palestinian factions will be flexible during the negotiations in Egypt on the lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza and on the issue of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
"The (civilians) demand calm, and this will have an effect on the Palestinian delegations in Cairo," the source said.
Quoting Israeli sources, the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Monday that Egypt is monitoring the public opinion polls in Israel ahead of the February 10 general elections and is trying to convince Hamas to relax its demands for a deal with the Jewish state before the end of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's tenure.
According to the report, Egypt warned Hamas that the next Israeli government, which according to the polls will be headed by Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu – will take more radical stances. Therefore, they said, the Palestinian movement must take advantage of the opportunity as long as the Olmert government is still in power, for fear of "losing everything".
