[Los Angeles Times/Minneapolis Star Tribune] Ashraf Khalil - Several Palestinian militant groups signed off Wednesday on a temporary truce proposal, but a cease-fire appears unlikely. Israeli officials say it would merely be a pretext for Hamas and other militant groups to rearm for a new round of hostilities. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said Wednesday that if the Gaza militant groups stopped launching rockets at southern Israeli cities and halted weapons smuggling over the Egyptian border, Israeli army attacks would end automatically. The prospect of reopening the Rafah crossing and ending Gaza's isolation isn't yet an option, Regev said, but a period of mutual calm "could create a positive dynamic."
2008-05-01 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive