UN troops withdrawn from Sinai in 1967, UNIFIL troops in Lebanon. Israel has taken hits every time it outsources its security. Israel would be justified in being skeptical of such guarantees. European observers were sitting on those border crossings into Gaza until things got messy and they had to run for safety... to Israel.

Israel wants a long truce because it wants quiet. The Palestinians and Iranians want a short truce to restock and resume trying to demolish Israel. The EU and USA want a long truce but become squeamish when they see Palestinian casualties which is what Palestinians want so that concessions and withdrawals will be forced on Israel. The EU and USA should base their generosity to Palestinians on their willingness to move to an overall peace. Otherwise, the cycle of Palestinian attack and Israeli retaliation will just continue as usual.

security will be the Covenant with Death that Daniel in the Bible warned about. It will lead to the deaths of two-thirds of Israelis in 3 and a half years after a world leader goes into the rebuilt Third Temple offsite or on the Temple Mount who says he is god when he is not. Zechariah says only a third of Israelis will live to see the Jewish Messiah after that Covenant with Death is signed! Israel will make a covenant with the Assyrians (who migrated to Germany) and there is Adolf Hitler's biological daughter in the photo waiting to devour the Jews. Beware! Get the free booklet on "NAHUM" from www.thetrumpet.com to see what this is all about. Judah is the Israel in the Middle East who seeks help from an ancient enemy Assyria (now Germany).

NO to cease fire until after all aspects agreed and implemented to secure the peace including the peacemakers in place with suficinet powers to implement the peace making structure, No talks after cese fire as they can go nowhere. Free Schalit. Destroy Hamas, tunnels, arms

Even if it is 60 years later, and regardless of what the German man-in-the-street may or may not really think, the fact that Germany would support Israel's security is very nice. I guess we have to do to Hamas what the Allies did to Germany during the Second World War, and then maybe they will support our security as well. I would start with the firebombing of Gaza City...

They're more worried about riots from the ''imports'' in their own countries. Sarkozy has his own Gaza on the outskirts of Paris, ready for another intifada. The EU has no role to play - they've shown how impotent they are for decades already, all talk, no show. They talk about ''guarantees'' as if they could them up - but we've seen them in inaction in S. Lebanon already.

In addition, we could build a lake of sorts between Gaza and Egpyt so tunnels cannot be built period, full stop. We have to take matters into our own hands when we need something done properly. Step 1 is finally being taken. Rooting out the vermin.

The only guarantee necessary or that will work is for the Jews to FINISH Hamas and obliterate them.

If I were a chubby chasing Fraulein hunter, you would be on my list. However, the ONLY one who can guarentee Israel's security,...is Israel. So hit the buffet table once more and but your big butt out.

Israel must GUARANTEE the safety of it's citizens..... Merkel, Sarkozy, & company are starting to get it. GUARANTEE means that next time terrorists decide to fire rockets, dig tunnels, attempt kidnappings, they'll be met with severe consequences, GUARANTEED to be applied by those responsible for preventing terror activities from happening, every time it occurs..... This means unprecedented commitment by those parties who seek to GUARANTEE this takes place.

The only Guarantee is finish Your kind of sick people # 10. What israel is doing now will guarantee that more hate will take place against Israel, even your good Arab friends are almost turning against you, enough is enough... STOP KILLIKG THE INNOCENT PALESTINIAN KIDS AND WOMEN IN GAZA, LIVE AND LET LIVE.......... SALAM, SHALOM, PEACE........

Sigh of children killed by Israel will not be left unanswered (will have been called to account) ... Israel should translate full message from Turkish Prime Minister as it is worth reading

Yo #13,In Zero Land Good Arab Friends? Who on this Algorific globe is *that*, Where do they live and who are they. Scully & Mulder of the X-Files, never looked for as elusive a group as "Arab Friends of Israel". Your live and let live call is a just a little late this year. By about a gazillion Kassams fired at Israel for years. Where were you and that plaintive call then? Ezz you are overloaded with some baaaad BeeEss. Israel will continue to kill the Bad Guys. Break their stuff until like you say to a baby being fed; they make ALL Gone.

from both sides of her mouth too. Wanting Israel safe from IRAN while selling them natural gas. Anyway, this just in: US, France and UN working to call for immediate cease fire. Strange seeing Hamas does not want a cease fire so in essance U.S, France and UN saving Hamas. Not saving Israel because Hamas vows to destroy us... imposing this soon to be cease fire is a death knell for us.

at least they are trying to do something..most of the others are too busy condeming us to care.

will attack when Israel is defenseless!

getting any from Carla for Merkel to look attractive to him.

...as long as Bush is US-president...

Off your meds again?

The safety of Israel is not what concerns Europe. It is the fear of the muslims within their own borders! They would gladly sacrafice Israel to pacify the muslims in their own countries. Perhaps they should study histoy and learn that to pacify an enemy is to invite destruction.Or they can live up to their religious beliefs and protect the innocent from the attacks of the agressors and support Isreal against muslin agression.

Israel could not have a better enemy than Hamas. They are so nuts that they are going actually destroy themselves and the world isn't going to help them. Read between the lines...Germany, France, even Arab Countries are either saying Israel need security or Hamas started this...Hamas response we won't agree unless Israel abandons any notion of security. The way these negotiations are going Israel will be in Gaza for another week. There has been little reported out of Gaza these past 36 hours which means a lot of good things are happening on the ground. Israel may be permitted to win this after all. The intellegence Israel must be collecting now has got to be enormous (they have about 200 prisoners). Look I know a lot of you interpret this as Euro-whimp talk - but read between the lines - whe you hear Israel MUST STOP then worry, when you hear Israel must enter into an agreement which secures her borders, this means Israel can continue doing what it has been doing. In the end the ceasefire will get Int'l monitors, which won't be a big deal, because unlike in Lebannon Hamas will truly be disarmed. Also, unlike Lebannon, Egypt safe gaurding its border is in its best interests. Very different dynamics at play here. I am not a fan of Olmert and co. But they have learned from their past mistakes and have played this as well as they can. The question is will they screw it up (there is still time), but so far so good!

Yes thank g-d for Bush and all the evangelical Christians who actually care for the Jewish State, more so than many Liberal Jews.

Have Hamas (and all involved parties) draw a map with proposed boundaries of Israel and Palestine. e.g. if Hamas cannot submit a map including even a greatly downsized Israel......there is no sense to ceasing fire.

We must never trust this man with two ugly faces. We demand the following very justified things: -the savage israeli aggression must stop. -palestinians must receive guarantees for security annd save life in their territories. -Israeli army must immediately withdraw from Gaza. -Negotiations about the future relations with israel must take place with HAMAS leaders

The things you want are reasonable....and could lead to real peace. Are you (and by extension, the Palestinian and Arab world) willing to give the same to the Israelis? Your Points applied equally: 1. zero aggression in both directions....i.e. no attacks (missles, shells, suicide bombs) 2. guarantees for security....i.e. recognize Israel and eliminate call for its destruction. Establish Palestinian nation. 3. withdrawal (was previously done) 4. negotiations......disavow violence and commit to solving problems peacefully. (see 2 above). Would you trust Israel to live up to a peace agreement, if in Israel's Constitution there was a call to destroy Palestine?

it is not hard to see in advance that the palestinians will reject every peace proposal. they are not interested in peace. they do not want Israel to feel satisfied with anything. they are completely comfortable losing any, and all, of their children, women, and elderly for the sanctification of the fight against Israel. I feel it is pointless for Israel to accept any peace proposal involving the palestinians; they, and particularly hamas, will find every opportunity to reject it and if the world makes them accept it, they will find every opportunity to not honor it as soon as it is created. I think a third party will have to represent them, and talk on their behalf. I also think this third party will have to take the responsibility for the actions of the palestinians, who are incapable of this responsibility.