‘Hamas-Israel deal imminent,’ to the dismay of Palestinian factions

Long-term ceasefire between Hamas and Israel would tear Gaza away from West Bank for good, claims Palestinian Communist party official



Hamas is about to sign a “comprehensive” agreement with Israel for the lifting of an eight-year blockade placed on the Gaza Strip in return for a long-term ceasefire, a senior Turkish official said on Sunday. Details of the imminent agreement, reported first by London-based daily al-Hayat on Thursday, have begun to emerge on Hamas news outlets as well over the weekend. According to the reports, Gaza will be allowed to import merchandise through a “floating port” located 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) off the coast. An intermediary port will be established in Cyprus, where all Gaza-bound merchandise will be scrutinized by NATO representatives.

According to Hamas daily al-Resalah, Israel would like to see a larger package deal that would include the exchange of “live and dead Israeli prisoners” held by Hamas — likely a reference to Ethiopian-Israeli citizen Avraham Abere Mengistu and a Bedouin man who both entered the Gaza Strip voluntarily, as well as the remains of Israeli soldiers killed during Operation Protective Edge last summer — in return for Hamas prisoners jailed by Israel.

Israeli Arabic-language website al-Masdar reported on Sunday that Hamas’s leadership held a meeting in Gaza on Friday, specifying the deal’s details. According to al-Masdar’s unnamed Hamas source, Israel has also agreed to allow in thousands of Gazan day laborers through the Erez crossing in return for Hamas’s agreement to stop launching rockets into Israel and digging subterranean attack tunnels underneath the border for a period of at least eight years.

“This agreement is no longer just rumors or blabber, but will be signed any minute,” said Walid Awadh, a member of the political office of the Palestinian People’s Party (PPP), formerly the Communist Party, in Gaza. Officials of PLO factions, such as PPP, have been receiving updates from Hamas on the talks with Blair over the past month, he told The Times of Israel.
Awadh said that his party, like all other PLO factions, is opposed in principle to the deal reached between Hamas and Israel. The agreement, carried out unilaterally by Hamas without consulting the PA, strengthens the political divide with Fatah and will eventually detach Gaza completely from the West Bank and Jerusalem, he argued.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-israel-deal-imminent-to-the-dismay-of-palestinian-factions/

Well, Mozel Tov. Looks like the imminent long term cease fire is good for Israel and good for the people of Gaza, and it goes a long way toward improving image of Hamas. As for West Bank Palestinians moaning about not having direct access to the sea, i can bring several examples of countries in the similar situation:

Andorra
Czech Rep
Bolivia
Paraguay and must not forget all-important
Botswana.

None of these countries have access to the sea and never beatch about. Why should West Bank?

All in all, is a step in right direction. By the way, please take note it is Palestinians who are unhappy about improved relations with Israel, and not vise versa.

 

thousands of Gazan day laborers in exchange for no more rockets from Gaza and no more tunnels?

sounds like a fair deal.

 

Not sure if your reply is sarcastic or not... don't Gazans need jobs?

 

no sarcasm at all.

Gazans want jobs.

Israel wants peace.

jobs for peace sounds like a good deal.

 

My god! Dutch and Ronstar in perfect harmony? The end is near

 

I want whats best for Israel, and it looks like a good deal to me.

 

Sure it is. But aren't you dancing with the devil (Ronstar) to seal the deal?

 

the devil, huh?

 

This can only end badly for Israel.

 

yes, cause peace is such a horrible thing

 

In 2002 the Saudi Peace initiative offered trade and recognition as well as a guarantee of Israel's security. The Arab world was optimistic and abuzz with plans to develop infrastructure and jobs for the Palestinians and Gaza.

 

The agreement is not bad and it looks sustainable. As incredible as it can sound, Hamas today needs Israeli support against ISIS and to stand the competition coming from Fatah in Palestinian territories [Hamas promised a lot, run a war ... and left ruins to Palestinians].

 

I have to trust Netanyahu - he always act in the best interest of Israel and Israelis.

 

actually, he's a bit of a liar.

but this deal looks good

 

Margot, trusting Arabs with security of the Jews is an oxymoron

 

and yet the peace deals with Egypt and Jordan have been pretty good.

how about that

 

Yes indeed. However, Israel's security is always in Israel's hands and will never be entrusted to any Arab state or be relied upon their guaranties.

 

and your point is?

 

There will be no peace. Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel and has proven, time and time again, that it doesn't give a (*)(*)(*)(*) about its own people.

 

"actually, he's a bit of a liar"

Sounds like you just described 98% of every politician that's held/ran for an office.........in this world!

Think that 's why many lawyers become politicians.

 

The arabs rejected that deal.

 

I was thinking ...

similar deals are quite dangerous for politicians ... remember Rabin: he had killed by a Jewish extremist just because he was looking for peace ...

But this time I would expect that an extremist of Hamas could kill his own leaders.

 

If it's gonna happen, bye bye floating but nonetheless a real seaport... No, I think Israel has nothing to lose in this deal.

 

You are right but Hamas is not agreeing to peace, it's offering hudna - a long term truce on conditions hopefully acceptable to Israel. Their original demand (a few years ago) was hudna in exchange for full Israel withdrawal to 1967 border, the right of return and mass harakiri of all zionists on the planet or something like that Now it's a far more reasonable postion - truce in exchange for no rockets, no tunnels and jobs for Gazans.


Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Sadly, I have very little faith in Hamas... Someone will fire rocket then another, Israel will proportionately retaliate. Rinse, repeat. Bye, bye Gaza seaport.

I hope I'm wrong.