Holding My Breath on this Hudna – Only Time will Tell!
November 26, 2006
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
After having waded through different promises of many ceasefire deals coming out of the Palestinian Authority, and watching them fade into the sunset, I am hoping against hope that the Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al-Aksa Martyrs Brigates, and other super extremist terrorist groups, might actually be on board this hudna agreement
with Fatah. I am naturally very doubtful this thing will get off the ground, and will only stop holding my breath when I see the Kassams stop flying out of Gaza. It will be a most significant event if this were to occur, and could be the first stage of a time of “peace and safety” to begin to satisfy the event prophesied in I Thessalonians 5:3,4. The only reason I give it any sort of credence is that Hamas needs some breathing time and relief from the beating Israel is giving them in Gaza.
I really do not expect the “peace and safety” mindset to begin to set in until the security barrier is completed around the West Bank next year.
I Thessalonians 5:3,4 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
[4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
I will not believe the importance of this event until I see the rockets stop completely for one week.
There are a lot of terrorist fingers in rocket launches, and the odds of this one being anymore successful than the ones before it are slim.
Since it is being labeled as a significant Middle East event which was whispered about, but did not officially burst on the scene until Sunday in Israel, I am including two reports, even though there is duplication of statements – One from the BBC and one from the Jerusalem Post.
Begin BBC Article
Gaza Ceasefire Comes into Force
BBC NEWS RELEASE
A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has come into force, with the Palestinians halting rocket attacks into Israel.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas won a commitment from all militant groups to stop the attacks, while Israeli PM Ehud Olmert agreed to halt hostilities.
Israel said all its troops withdrew from Gaza before the ceasefire took effect, five months after its military re-entered the Strip.
BBC correspondents say the agreement is unexpected and a major development.
The United States has welcomed what a White House spokesman called “a positive step forward”.
Earlier on Saturday, at least one Hamas activist was killed in an Israel air strike on Gaza.
Two cars were targeted, and four men were reported injured.
Hamas said that three other activists were killed in cl ash
es with Israeli troops elsewhere in Gaza.
‘Chance for stability’
The ceasefire came into effect at 0600 (0400GMT) on Sunday.
The BBC’s Alan Johnston in Gaza says it seems Mr Abbas phoned his opposite number on Saturday evening to say he had agreement from all Palestinian factions that they would stop their rocket fire.
There is a signed agreement between Mr Abbas, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and all the Palestinian factions, a spokesman said.
A spokeswoman for the Israeli prime minister, Miri Eisin, told the BBC that Mr Olmert had agreed that Israeli forces would not initiate any offensive action after that time.
But she said Mr Olmert had made it clear that it might take some time to pull all Israeli troops out of the Gaza Strip if the ceasefire held.
However, shortly after the ceasefire took effect, the Israeli army confirmed that all its troops had left.
“There are no forces now in Gaza,” said a military spokesman quoted by Reuters news agency.
Ms Eisin said Mr Olmert believed this was a chance to achieve stability and one that Israel could not miss.
The BBC’s Simon Wilson in Jerusalem says that although there has been talk of a possible ceasefire in recent weeks, such a direct acknowledgement from the Israeli prime minister’s office comes as a surprise.
Officials have indicated in the past that they do not believe Mr Abbas has the power to enforce a ceasefire among Palestinian groups, he says.
Ground offensives
Israel evacuated its settlements and military bases in Gaza last year after 38 years in the territory, but the military renewed ground operations after militants captured an Israeli soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, in a border raid in June.
Palestinian militant groups have been firing Qassam rockets into Israel on a daily basis. They have killed two Israeli civilians in the past 10 days.
Israel has launched frequent ground offensives into Gaza Strip to try to stop the militants who
launch the rockets.
It has also shelled targets in Gaza heavily.
S ince June, Israeli troops have killed more than 400 Palest
inians in Gaza, roughly half of them civilians.
Three Israeli soldiers have died in operations. Cpl Shalit has not been found, and his fate is unknown.
End BBC Article
Begin Jerusalem Post Article
Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire agreement becomes effective
Herb Keinon and JPost staff, THE JERUSALEM POST
November 25, 2006
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian factions became effective at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning and the IDF withdrew its forces from the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian offer was accepted by Israel on Saturday night, and is set to halt operations in Gaza in return for an end to all Palestinian violence, including rocket fire, tunneling and suicide bombers, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
The dramatic announcement followed a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Abbas phoned Olmert and told him he had received an agreement from all the different Palestinian factions to the cease-fire, and in response “requested that Israel would stop all military operations in the Gaza Strip, and withdraw all its forces from there.”
The statement said that after speaking to his senior ministers and top security officials, Olmert told Abbas that Israel would respond favorably “since Israel was operating in the Gaza Strip in response to the [Palestinian] violence.”
Olmert, according to the statement, told Abbas that “the end of the violence could bring about the end of Israeli operations, and his hope that this would bring stability to both sides.”
According to the statement, the two “agreed to continue the dialogue to bring about an end of violence in the West Bank, and agreed to talk again soon.” No mention was made in the statement about kidnapped soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit, whose abduction on June 25 led to the IDF’s stepped-up actions in Gaza.
The agreement, according to Israeli officials, did not apply to military actions in the West Bank. The key now, the officials said, would be to see whether indeed all the different Palestinian factions have signed on – and would honor – the cease-fire agreement.
Palestinian terrorist groups announced the offer on Saturday, saying that they would stop firing rockets at Israel at 6 a.m. Sunday. “We have set 6 a.m. tomorrow morning to stop firing rockets toward Zionist towns in our occupied land in return for a mutual cessation of the aggression committed against our people,” said Abu Mujahed, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees.
Washington was full of praise for the cease-fire agreement.
A White House spokesman said that it viewed the joint announcement as “a positive step,” adding that the US hoped the agreement would diminish the bloodshed between the Israelis and Palestinians.
However, the armed faction of the Islamic Jihad and Abu Reish, an armed faction of Fatah, both announced early Sunday that they were not part of the ceasefire agreement.
A spokesman for Abu Reish denied the movement’s participation in Saturday’s meeting between Palestinian Authority Prime Minster Ismail Haniyeh and Palestinian factions during which the ceasefire was agreed.
In a related development, Jerusalem pointedly did not respond Saturday to Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal’s threats that Israel had six months to negotiate an agreement on a Palestinian State in Gaza and the West Bank or “face a third intifada.”
“We don’t have to comment on every remark this man says,” a diplomatic official in Jerusalem said. “This is not the way we work.”
The official said that Mashaal, with his contradictory statements, was trying to “drive the system nuts. On the one hand he wants to stress the positive, a willingness to negotiate, on the other he threatens another intifada. On the one hand he says that the release of Shalit is near, on the other hand he blames Israel that it has not taken place. We don’t need to respond to this.”
Mashaal’s comments on Saturday were the strongest confirmation of a willingness to give Abbas the chance to negotiate with Israel. But it was also the first time he has set a deadline with an explicit threat of new wave of violence.
“We give six months to open real political horizons… we agreed on the national accord to establish a Palestinian state, with the June 4, 1967 borders,” he said.
He warned that if an agreement is not reached within that time, “Hamas will become stronger and the resistance will resume … and will go on with a third intifada.”
Mashaal’s comments suggested that Hamas would be willing to call a six-month cease-fire for any talks and would accept a two-state solution, though he stopped short of using that phrase or recognizing Israel.
Mashaal spoke after three days of talks with Egyptian officials, including Egyptian intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman, who are mediating an attempt put together a new Palestinian Authority government and secure the release of Shalit.
Mashaal, at a news conference, said the talks in Cairo would continue, but did not say for how long.
Mashaal suggested there was no breakthrough on either the formation of a new, national unity government or on the release of Shalit.
Abbas has been trying to work out a package deal with Hamas that would include a prisoner swap, a comprehensive cease-fire and the creation of a more moderate government of professionals to replace the one led by Hamas.
Mashaal said “great strides” had been made in negotiations over a new Palestinian government. But he said “more time” was needed and stuck to Hamas’ resistance to a Cabinet made up of technocrats rather than politicians from the two parties – seen as a way to keep Hamas figures out of positions of influence.
“The issue is not a dispute over portfolios, it should be a Palestinian national unity government that represents Palestinian factions … it should be political government,” he said.
Hamas doesn’t want a government of professionals with absolutely no political affiliation. It wants ministers from its ranks but has agreed they would not be well-known, first-tier politicians.
Mashaal also blamed Israel for the failure to reach a deal for the release of Shalit.
“We are not the reason behind postponing the decision; the postponing of a settlement is due to the other side,” Mashaal said. He did not elaborate on what was holding up an agreement.
He said Shalit “is fine. He’s in good health,” adding mockingly, “He sends his regards.”
AP contributed to this report
End Jerusalem Post Article
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.