(Ynet News) Michael Milstein - In recent months, what has been transpiring on the ground between Israel and Hamas is far from the hoped-for long-term understanding. In the past few days, Hamas once again became an instigator of violence, launching incendiary balloons across the border to demonstrate its dissatisfaction with the pace of the talks. Three key issues must be included in any real agreement: Hamas must agree to end its military actions including those in the West Bank; Hamas must assume complete control of all rogue factions in Gaza; and the bodies of two fallen Israeli soldiers and two Israeli civilians believed held by Hamas in Gaza must be released. The biggest challenge for Hamas will be exerting authority over other factions, but that is the most crucial aspect that must be agreed on before a long-term understanding can be reached. The writer is head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University.
2020-01-27 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive