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Palestinian militants in Gaza (file)
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| By Israel Insider staff September 21, 2007 |
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Israel rejected Hamas' offer yesterday to reinstate a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to local press reports, which the party's leader, Ismail Haniyeh, proposed just before Israel declared Gaza a "hostile entity."
The proposal comes in the wake of an escalation of rocket attacks by Hamas against civilians in Israeli towns on the Gaza periphery, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Abu Ahmed, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad militants, said Thursday that "rockets are an affirmation of our option of continuing holy war and resistance against the occupation. Therefore, resistance will only stop if the occupation ends," Haaretz quoted Ahmed as saying.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner voiced his support for Israel's decision to withhold from agreeing to lay down arms.
Now "is not the moment" to talk to Hamas, Kouchner said. First, the focus should be on the major issues of "recognition of the security of Israel and setting up a Palestinian state," he continued. Then there is the reconciliation between the warring Palestinian factions. Lastly, the foreign minister said, Israel should deal with Gaza.
Meanwhile, Meretz chairman Yossi Beilin criticized the security cabinet's decision to reject Hamas? proposal, calling it an irresponsible move vis-a-vis the residents of the western Negev and for kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit.
"Israel has no other real solution to these problems, and it must reach a cease-fire with Hamas," Beilin said.
"Israel can do so through a third party, parallel to the diplomatic process with the PLO," he added.
Instead, cabinet ministers agreed that in response to the escalation of rocket attacks on Israel, the government will accordingly compromise the ability of Hamas to govern in Gaza as the quality of life deteriorated. "We will reduce the amount of megawattage we provide to the Strip, and Hamas will have to decide whether to provide electricity to hospitals or weapons lathes," an official said.
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