(Times of Israel) Avi Issacharoff - The announcement of another 5-day cease-fire through to Monday night does not necessarily indicate that a long-term cease-fire is close. The sides' agreement in principle to another 120 hours of calm stems principally from their failure to find a solution, not a dramatic narrowing of the gaps between them. Egypt has no desire for an agreement that would give any legitimacy to Hamas. Gaza's Islamist rulers want an end to the conflict, but they know that without a significant gain they will be subjected to immense criticism. Meanwhile, the Hamas military wing is urging the political leadership not to compromise. Thus, the likelihood of a re-escalation is certainly as realistic as the likelihood of an agreement.
2014-08-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive