"The guideline of our policy has always been the idea that a permanent situation of no peace and a latent war is the best situation for us, and that it must be maintained at all costs. ... we are becoming stronger year by year in a situation of impending conflict where it is possible that actual fighting may break out from time to time. SUch wars will usually be short and the results guaranteed in advance, since the gap between us and the Arabs is increasing. In this way we shall move on from occupation to further occupation. ... this criminally mischievous policy has led us into the crisis we are living through today"
(Yeshayahu Leibowitz, 30 November 1973)
"We have not been seeking peace for twenty-five years -- all declarations to that effect have been no more than coloured statements or deliberate lies. There is of course no assurance that we could have made peace with the Arabs if we had wanted to. However, it has to be heavily emphasized that we have not only made no attempts to seek peace, but have deliberately and with premeditation, sabotaged every possibility of doing so."
(Yeshayahu Leibowitz, 30 November 1973)
(Yeshayahu Leibowitz, 30 November 1973)
"We have not been seeking peace for twenty-five years -- all declarations to that effect have been no more than coloured statements or deliberate lies. There is of course no assurance that we could have made peace with the Arabs if we had wanted to. However, it has to be heavily emphasized that we have not only made no attempts to seek peace, but have deliberately and with premeditation, sabotaged every possibility of doing so."
(Yeshayahu Leibowitz, 30 November 1973)
Olmert skeptical of Hamas cease-fire deal
By GIL HOFFMAN AND YAAKOV KATZ
Israel is skeptical that a cease-fire with Hamas will be reached and, therefore, the IDF is preparing for a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said in recent closed-door meetings while adding that he is letting the process play out in order to show respect for the Egyptian leadership.
(He's letting this play out in the name of PR, period. Israel isn't skeptical. Israel wants a cease-fire, and talks with the elected Palestinian Government. Only the Extremists, who created this 'crisis', in order to feign justification for attacks they've planned for over a year, reject peace, because they reject outright the idea of a Palestinian state.)
Barak meets with Egyptian President Mubarak to discuss situation in Gaza
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1210668678697&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
On Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman in Sharm e-Sheikh and presented them with Israel's proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza - a two-stage deal that would first include a cessation of military operations and terror activity and then a lifting of the siege over Gaza in exchange for the advancement in negotiations over the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit.
(As was predicted. Since Israel's Collective Punishment is what provoked the rockets, lifting the illegal blockade must be the starting point of a cease-fire.)
Barak told Mubarak that the continued Kassam rocket attacks against Israel would speed up an escalation on the Gaza front and an Israeli military invasion.
(A continuation of the illegal policies which provoked the rockets in the first place will ensure these, as Israel desires, in order to feign a justification for its long-premeditated aggression.)
On Tuesday, Suleiman will meet with a Hamas delegation, led by Moussa Abu Marzuk, deputy head of the group's Damascus-based political bureau, in Cairo and present them with Barak's two-stage proposal. Israeli defense officials said it was likely that Hamas would accept the new terms.
(Let's hope so ... Since Israel has already rejected Hamas' many offers.)
During their meeting, Barak also stressed Israel's position that Schalit's release must be part of any cease-fire deal with Hamas in Gaza.
(He has been told several times that this DEMAND must be a part of the negotiations to follow, not a condition used to prevent peace.)
A cease-fire, he said, would only be accepted by Israel after a complete cessation of terrorist activity by Hamas and other terror factions, as well as a stop to the smuggling of weapons from the Sinai into Gaza.
(Will he, then, ensure that the IDF personnel who have been instrumental in this smuggling are removed? A Cease-fire is a cease-fire. Israel keeps adding conditions in order to stall its implementation.)
Kadima MK Shai Hermesh said Monday that Olmert told him in a closed-door meeting last week that while he was "very skeptical" about the chances of reaching an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire, he is letting the process play out in order to show respect to Suleiman.
(He's only 'skeptical' because he's planning a massive attack, and plans to reject the cease-fire again. He is allowing the process to play out solely for the foreign press.)
Hermesh lives in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where resident Jimmy Kedoshim was killed by mortar fire two weeks ago. He said he told Olmert about the suffering of his neighbors and Olmert responded that if Israel's demands were not met in the talks, there would be a military operation in the Gaza Strip that would be "difficult and painful."
(In other words, "their revenge is coming" ... How many hundreds dead this time, Ehud? Thousands, perhaps?)
Olmert's spokesman denied that Olmert would say he was very skeptical of the talks or that they were intended to please Mubarak. But he said Olmert's threat to take action in the Gaza Strip was real and serious.
The prime minister told the Kadima faction repeatedly on Monday that "decision time was approaching" regarding whether there should be a major operation in the Gaza Strip.
(Regarding the plans already underway, I'd say the decision by these Extremists has already been made.)
"The perpetual threat has reached a climax," Olmert told the MKs. "Israel cannot allow the current situation in the South to continue."
(However, he omits the part about his illegal policies regarding Gaza being responsible for creating "the current situation" ...)
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and Vice Premier Haim Ramon all urged Olmert in the meeting to expedite an operation in the Gaza Strip.
"We know who the address is and who is leading [the attacks on Israeli civilians]," Mofaz said. "I very much hope the time has come to change the policies and change the situation. We don't need to make deals with terrorist organizations."
Dichter, who lives in Ashkelon, warned that tragedies would soon outnumber miracles in his city. Ramon acknowledged that Israel is conducting negotiations with Hamas - contrary to the government's own policy on the matter, even if those talks are held via Suleiman.
"Negotiations are being conducted with Hamas in contrast to the government's decision, which has determined that it will only be possible to deal with Hamas after it accepts the conditions of the Quartet," Ramon said. "We aren't fighting against a terror organization, but rather a state of terrorism. A terror organization has an area under its control and Israel cannot, in my opinion, make peace with a Hamas state on the southern border."
(Israel has rejected not only the Quartet conditions, but even those resulting from the facade at Annapolis. Hamas is the ELECTED Government of the Palestinians, and a majority of Israelis want to see talks with them, which would eliminate the violence. A democratic Government would not act so unilaterally in opposition to the will of its people.)
Shani Rosenfelder and Nathan Tobin contributed to this report.
Warnings Pour in For Israel to Cease Collective Punishment
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10555S
Red Cross Condemns Gaza Collective Punishment (the First Round)
winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?8994S
As Predicted: Gaza Reoccupation Planned
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/388658.html
As Predicted: Israel Attacks Gaza
alaanasnews.blogspot.com/2007/12/as-predicted-israel-attacks-gaza.html
Israel Destroys Gaza Interior Ministry, Blocks UN Aid
today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2008-01-18T
UN Condemns 'Cowardly Israeli War Crime'
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389828.html
Probe: At Least Half of Palestinians Killed by IDF Were Civilians
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/944276.html
Israeli Attacks on Palestinians, Killings, Doubled Since Annapolis
http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m40008&hd=&size=1&l=e
UN Condemns Collective Punishment of Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389757.html?c=on#c187937
It's All Right, I'm Only Bleeding
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10557S
Israel, World Jewry Drift Apart
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10554S
Israel Guilty of Ethnic Cleansing
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215186.php
UN: Israel Must Halt Use of Excessive Force
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215185.php
Rights Group: More than 50% of Gaza casualties were civilians
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/960338.html
Joint Statement Against the Israeli Airstrikes on the Gaza Strip http://www.alternativenews.org/news/english/joint-statement-against-the-israeli
Amnesty Int'l Condemns IDF for Reckless Disregard of Life in Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/03/392935.html
U.N. Chief Condemns Israel After Bloody Day in Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/03/392791.html
Israel's Goals: Regime Change, Reoccupation
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215188.php
Bay of Pigs in Gaza: Gaza Crisis Made in USA
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215187.php
Avnery: "I Came, I Saw, I Destroyed!"
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?12874S
How to Become an Israeli Journalist
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?12885S
U.S. Media Coverage of Israel-Palestine Conflict
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0502/S00151.htm
Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land
http://www.freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=169
Jewish Groups Condemn Collective Punishment of Gaza
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10877S
Iran Jewish MP criticises "anti-human" Israel acts
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080507/tpl-uk-israel-palestinians-1948-iran-43a8d4f.html
A Human Rights Crime In Gaza
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?14547S
Poll Reveals Neo-Con Zionist Groups Unrepresentative
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?14454S
Western Jews Revolt Against Zionist Bully Tactics
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/6119/index.php
Zionism's Support Faltering
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?6297S
Child Victims of a War the World Doesn't Want to Know About
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/9026/index.php
As Predicted: Israel Rejects Hamas Truce Offer
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/397561.html
As Predicted: Israel Rejects Truce, Calls Offer 'Failure'
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8882/index.php
Real Diplomacy: Carter Meets Hamas
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8877/index.php
No Peace Without Hamas
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8876/index.php
Hamas ready to accept Israel as its neighbour: Carter
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8874/index.php
Calling Israel's Bluff: Hamas Offers Truce, Negotiations
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8898/index.php#Comment-19179
Israel Gearing Up to Attack Gaza Once Again
And why wouldn't they? So long as world Governments are willing to Appease these Extremists, in the name of political support, they will continue slaughtering the people of Gaza.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/398996.html
Barak Hints At Imminent Gaza Assault
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/399185.html
By GIL HOFFMAN AND YAAKOV KATZ
Israel is skeptical that a cease-fire with Hamas will be reached and, therefore, the IDF is preparing for a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said in recent closed-door meetings while adding that he is letting the process play out in order to show respect for the Egyptian leadership.
(He's letting this play out in the name of PR, period. Israel isn't skeptical. Israel wants a cease-fire, and talks with the elected Palestinian Government. Only the Extremists, who created this 'crisis', in order to feign justification for attacks they've planned for over a year, reject peace, because they reject outright the idea of a Palestinian state.)
Barak meets with Egyptian President Mubarak to discuss situation in Gaza
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1210668678697&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull On Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman in Sharm e-Sheikh and presented them with Israel's proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza - a two-stage deal that would first include a cessation of military operations and terror activity and then a lifting of the siege over Gaza in exchange for the advancement in negotiations over the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit.
(As was predicted. Since Israel's Collective Punishment is what provoked the rockets, lifting the illegal blockade must be the starting point of a cease-fire.)
Barak told Mubarak that the continued Kassam rocket attacks against Israel would speed up an escalation on the Gaza front and an Israeli military invasion.
(A continuation of the illegal policies which provoked the rockets in the first place will ensure these, as Israel desires, in order to feign a justification for its long-premeditated aggression.)
On Tuesday, Suleiman will meet with a Hamas delegation, led by Moussa Abu Marzuk, deputy head of the group's Damascus-based political bureau, in Cairo and present them with Barak's two-stage proposal. Israeli defense officials said it was likely that Hamas would accept the new terms.
(Let's hope so ... Since Israel has already rejected Hamas' many offers.)
During their meeting, Barak also stressed Israel's position that Schalit's release must be part of any cease-fire deal with Hamas in Gaza.
(He has been told several times that this DEMAND must be a part of the negotiations to follow, not a condition used to prevent peace.)
A cease-fire, he said, would only be accepted by Israel after a complete cessation of terrorist activity by Hamas and other terror factions, as well as a stop to the smuggling of weapons from the Sinai into Gaza.
(Will he, then, ensure that the IDF personnel who have been instrumental in this smuggling are removed? A Cease-fire is a cease-fire. Israel keeps adding conditions in order to stall its implementation.)
Kadima MK Shai Hermesh said Monday that Olmert told him in a closed-door meeting last week that while he was "very skeptical" about the chances of reaching an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire, he is letting the process play out in order to show respect to Suleiman.
(He's only 'skeptical' because he's planning a massive attack, and plans to reject the cease-fire again. He is allowing the process to play out solely for the foreign press.)
Hermesh lives in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where resident Jimmy Kedoshim was killed by mortar fire two weeks ago. He said he told Olmert about the suffering of his neighbors and Olmert responded that if Israel's demands were not met in the talks, there would be a military operation in the Gaza Strip that would be "difficult and painful."
(In other words, "their revenge is coming" ... How many hundreds dead this time, Ehud? Thousands, perhaps?)
Olmert's spokesman denied that Olmert would say he was very skeptical of the talks or that they were intended to please Mubarak. But he said Olmert's threat to take action in the Gaza Strip was real and serious.
The prime minister told the Kadima faction repeatedly on Monday that "decision time was approaching" regarding whether there should be a major operation in the Gaza Strip.
(Regarding the plans already underway, I'd say the decision by these Extremists has already been made.)
"The perpetual threat has reached a climax," Olmert told the MKs. "Israel cannot allow the current situation in the South to continue."
(However, he omits the part about his illegal policies regarding Gaza being responsible for creating "the current situation" ...)
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and Vice Premier Haim Ramon all urged Olmert in the meeting to expedite an operation in the Gaza Strip.
"We know who the address is and who is leading [the attacks on Israeli civilians]," Mofaz said. "I very much hope the time has come to change the policies and change the situation. We don't need to make deals with terrorist organizations."
Dichter, who lives in Ashkelon, warned that tragedies would soon outnumber miracles in his city. Ramon acknowledged that Israel is conducting negotiations with Hamas - contrary to the government's own policy on the matter, even if those talks are held via Suleiman.
"Negotiations are being conducted with Hamas in contrast to the government's decision, which has determined that it will only be possible to deal with Hamas after it accepts the conditions of the Quartet," Ramon said. "We aren't fighting against a terror organization, but rather a state of terrorism. A terror organization has an area under its control and Israel cannot, in my opinion, make peace with a Hamas state on the southern border."
(Israel has rejected not only the Quartet conditions, but even those resulting from the facade at Annapolis. Hamas is the ELECTED Government of the Palestinians, and a majority of Israelis want to see talks with them, which would eliminate the violence. A democratic Government would not act so unilaterally in opposition to the will of its people.)
Shani Rosenfelder and Nathan Tobin contributed to this report.
Warnings Pour in For Israel to Cease Collective Punishment
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10555S Red Cross Condemns Gaza Collective Punishment (the First Round)
winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?8994S
As Predicted: Gaza Reoccupation Planned
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/388658.html As Predicted: Israel Attacks Gaza
alaanasnews.blogspot.com/2007/12/as-predicted-israel-attacks-gaza.html
Israel Destroys Gaza Interior Ministry, Blocks UN Aid
today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2008-01-18T
UN Condemns 'Cowardly Israeli War Crime'
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389828.html Probe: At Least Half of Palestinians Killed by IDF Were Civilians
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/944276.html Israeli Attacks on Palestinians, Killings, Doubled Since Annapolis
http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m40008&hd=&size=1&l=e UN Condemns Collective Punishment of Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389757.html?c=on#c187937 It's All Right, I'm Only Bleeding
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10557S Israel, World Jewry Drift Apart
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10554S Israel Guilty of Ethnic Cleansing
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215186.php UN: Israel Must Halt Use of Excessive Force
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215185.php Rights Group: More than 50% of Gaza casualties were civilians
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/960338.html Joint Statement Against the Israeli Airstrikes on the Gaza Strip
http://www.alternativenews.org/news/english/joint-statement-against-the-israeli Amnesty Int'l Condemns IDF for Reckless Disregard of Life in Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/03/392935.html U.N. Chief Condemns Israel After Bloody Day in Gaza
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/03/392791.html Israel's Goals: Regime Change, Reoccupation
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215188.php Bay of Pigs in Gaza: Gaza Crisis Made in USA
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/03/215187.php Avnery: "I Came, I Saw, I Destroyed!"
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?12874S How to Become an Israeli Journalist
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?12885S U.S. Media Coverage of Israel-Palestine Conflict
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0502/S00151.htm Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land
http://www.freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=169 Jewish Groups Condemn Collective Punishment of Gaza
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?10877S Iran Jewish MP criticises "anti-human" Israel acts
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080507/tpl-uk-israel-palestinians-1948-iran-43a8d4f.html A Human Rights Crime In Gaza
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?14547S Poll Reveals Neo-Con Zionist Groups Unrepresentative
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?14454S Western Jews Revolt Against Zionist Bully Tactics
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/6119/index.php Zionism's Support Faltering
http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?6297S Child Victims of a War the World Doesn't Want to Know About
https://israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/9026/index.php As Predicted: Israel Rejects Hamas Truce Offer
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/397561.html As Predicted: Israel Rejects Truce, Calls Offer 'Failure'
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8882/index.php Real Diplomacy: Carter Meets Hamas
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8877/index.php No Peace Without Hamas
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8876/index.php Hamas ready to accept Israel as its neighbour: Carter
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8874/index.php Calling Israel's Bluff: Hamas Offers Truce, Negotiations
http://www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8898/index.php#Comment-19179 Israel Gearing Up to Attack Gaza Once Again
And why wouldn't they? So long as world Governments are willing to Appease these Extremists, in the name of political support, they will continue slaughtering the people of Gaza.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/398996.html Barak Hints At Imminent Gaza Assault
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/399185.html
