Hamas seals deal on Israel
Times Online
A dramatic change in policy by the militant Palestinian group could lead to a national coalition and the start of negotiations with Israel
As Israeli tanks massed on Gaza's borders last night, Hamas executed a dramatic shift in policy to reach an agreement that implicitly recognises Israel.
The militant Palestinian group's surprise move could see the Hamas-led Government - anathema to Israel and the West - replaced within weeks by a national unity coalition.
Details of the agreement remained unclear, but Palestinians hoped that the prospect of the secular Fatah party and other factions joining the Government might end international sanctions, and make it possible for Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate President, to restart negotiations with Israel.
But those hopes depend on the immediate military crisis being resolved. Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, promised a "comprehensive and protracted" military operation unless Gilad Shalit, the 19-year-old soldier captured on Sunday, were freed.
Israel closed Gaza's border crossings, and refused to let Mr Abbas return to the West Bank. While convoys of Israeli tanks took up position just north of Gaza and armoured bulldozers constructed sand berms along the border, Palestinians hastily built defences against attack.
In northern Gaza, from where Palestinian militants have regularly fired rockets into Israeli towns, fighters put up barricades in Jabalya refugee camp, while Islamic Jihad fighters further south posed with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, AK47s, bomb belts made of ball bearings and explosives packed into disinfectant bottles.
The men conceded that they had nothing to match Israel's F16 fighters and Merkava tanks. But, one said: "We have exploding bodies." Read more
A dramatic change in policy by the militant Palestinian group could lead to a national coalition and the start of negotiations with Israel
As Israeli tanks massed on Gaza's borders last night, Hamas executed a dramatic shift in policy to reach an agreement that implicitly recognises Israel.
The militant Palestinian group's surprise move could see the Hamas-led Government - anathema to Israel and the West - replaced within weeks by a national unity coalition.
Details of the agreement remained unclear, but Palestinians hoped that the prospect of the secular Fatah party and other factions joining the Government might end international sanctions, and make it possible for Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate President, to restart negotiations with Israel.
But those hopes depend on the immediate military crisis being resolved. Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, promised a "comprehensive and protracted" military operation unless Gilad Shalit, the 19-year-old soldier captured on Sunday, were freed.
Israel closed Gaza's border crossings, and refused to let Mr Abbas return to the West Bank. While convoys of Israeli tanks took up position just north of Gaza and armoured bulldozers constructed sand berms along the border, Palestinians hastily built defences against attack.In northern Gaza, from where Palestinian militants have regularly fired rockets into Israeli towns, fighters put up barricades in Jabalya refugee camp, while Islamic Jihad fighters further south posed with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, AK47s, bomb belts made of ball bearings and explosives packed into disinfectant bottles.
The men conceded that they had nothing to match Israel's F16 fighters and Merkava tanks. But, one said: "We have exploding bodies." Read more
posted by exoplanet at 12:02 AM
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