MIDDLE EAST:THE DISMISSAL yesterday by Israel of a proposal for a six-month ceasefire in Gaza has placed Hamas and Cairo in a difficult situation.
Hamas had called for a simultaneous reciprocal ceasefire for Gaza and the West Bank, but when Israel rejected this offer Egypt put forward a compromise. On Thursday, Hamas envoy Mahmoud Zahar told Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman the movement would agree to a truce in Gaza on the understanding that it would be extended to the West Bank after a fixed period.
According to the Hamas proposal, Israel would immediately cease all military activity in the Gaza Strip in exchange for an end to cross-border missile fire into Israel, as well as a halt to weapons smuggling into Gaza. Israel and Egypt would permit normal operations at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt and allow cargo in and out of the Strip.
Israeli spokesman David Baker said: "Hamas is not serious. [ It is] biding time in order to rearm and regroup." He added that there would be no attacks on Gaza if there were none from Gaza on Israel, implying that Israel might be prepared to reciprocate if Hamas unilaterally ceased fire.
Mr Suleiman had called for a meeting next week of Gaza's factions to discuss the ceasefire proposal, but it is not clear that this meeting will take place.
Hamas is reluctant to accept a unilateral ceasefire because previous one-sided truces broke down when Israel launched raids and carried out assassinations, or other factions lobbed rockets into Israel.
By obtaining firm commitments from Israel, Hamas would be in a strong position to secure compliance from smaller factions. Moreover, ending the debilitating siege and blockade of Gaza would create jobs for angry young Palestinians who now take up arms.
Since Cairo has worked hard to achieve a truce in Gaza, Israel's rejection of the compromise has humiliated Egypt and embarrassed Mr Suleiman, who can promise Hamas nothing for halting rocket fire and attacks on Israeli troops. Hamas seeks to improve living conditions for Gazans who are suffering severely from Israel's tightening siege.
Egypt is eager to end the siege, as Cairo fears Palestinians will bulldoze the border fence and cross into Sinai, as they did in January. Yesterday's rallies by thousands of Hamas supporters at the northern and southern Gaza crossings were meant to put pressure on Israel and Egypt to end the siege.
