Hamdan: Israel is fully responsible for its retreat from the truce agreement

[ 15/02/2009 - 09:13 AM ]

BEIRUT, (PIC)--

Osama Hamdan, the representative of the Hamas Movement in Lebanon, on Saturday held Israel fully responsible for any retreat from the understandings of calm, adding that the Egyptian mediator should take a stance towards this Israeli procrastination.

Hamdan told Al-Jazeera TV channel that there was full agreement between Hamas and the Egyptian mediator about the understandings of the truce, but during the search for a final formula for the agreement, there was an Israeli retreat aimed to achieve gains in the last moments.

As for the statements made by Israeli premier Ehud Olmert that Gilad Shalit should be released in order for the truce to take effect, the Hamas representative underlined that the Cairo talks was about the truce, the siege lifting and the timeframe for the calm and it was agreed upon to separate the two files.

The Hamas leader noted that there was no ambiguity or implications during the talks, but there were clear understandings, adding that there is an attempt to tamper with the details of these understandings.

With regard to the guarantee for the Israeli implementation of the truce agreement, Hamdan stated that Egypt is the guarantor, adding the Egyptian mediator kept repeating and talking clearly about guarantees for over a month.

He expressed shock and dismay at the statements of the Egyptian foreign ministry in which it denied that Egypt pledged to guarantee the agreement, warning that such statements could have negative impacts on the efforts to reach a truce agreement.

In an exclusive statement to the PIC, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that there was separation between the truce issue and the file of the Israeli captive soldier during the Cairo talks, adding that Israel is still persistent in placing obstacles in the face of reaching a ceasefire agreement.

Barhoum also charged that Olmert, through his statements, is trying to score points in the interest of his party that will be involved in the formation of the new Israeli government.

For his part, Taher Al-Nunu, the spokesman for the Palestinian government, stated that there is no relationship between the truce issue and the prisoner swap deal because every file has its own requirements, noting that the discussions in Cairo did not link between these two files.

Nunu also said that the discussions with the Egyptians are ongoing, ruling out the possibility of declaring a truce at the present time unless all outstanding issues are resolved.

The Israeli government retreated Saturday from its agreement on the truce in return for opening the crossings and returned to its previous demand for the release of Shalit.

Olmert's office said in a statement that the premier's position is that Israel will not reach a compromise on the calm issue before the release of Shalit.

Olmert says he will continue to punish 1.5 million Palestinians until Shalit is released

Sunday February 15, 2009 14:06 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

In a flagrant violation of international human rights conventions and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which bans collective punishment of a population, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated Saturday that he would continue his collective punishment of the entire population of the Gaza Strip until Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian fighters in 2006, is released.

In Olmert's statement to the press on Saturday, he said, "We will not open the crossings without Shalit's release. Any other statements are irrelevant." This ensures the continuation of the Israeli siege on Gaza, which is essentially holding the entire population hostage, preventing them from leaving, and freezing all economic commerce.

170 Palestinian patients have died due to the Israeli siege, when Israeli officials refused to allow them to leave the Gaza Strip for critically-needed medical care. After the 3-week Israeli offensive that ended on January 18th, the siege continued, forcing the under-equipped hospitals and clinics in Gaza to deal with the over 4,000 injured Palestinians – many of whom have unprecedented wounds and burns due to Israel's use of internationally-banned weapons during the offensive.

Water has become extremely scarce, sewage treatment plants are overflowing and unable to operate due to the lack of fuel and the damage done by Israeli forces, and essential medicines are simply non-existent inside the Strip. Israeli forces surrounding the Gaza Strip essentially operate what many Palestinians call the 'largest open-air prison on earth', and 1.5 million Palestinians remain trapped inside.

While Olmert's advisors continue their 'negotiations' in Egypt for a potential 'truce', Israel remains in complete control of the Gaza Strip – all sea, air and land is under Israeli military control, and the outgoing Israeli Prime Minister promises that the chokehold on the entire population will continue unless the one Israeli prisoner held by Palestinian resistance groups is released. Israel has over 10,000 Palestinians in prison camps, and the number increases daily.

Israeli ministers back linking Shalit to truce

Date: 15 / 02 / 2009  Time:  14:02
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

 Israeli occupation terrorist government cabinet ministers rallied around outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday in calling for the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in connection with any ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

On Saturday Olmert’s office issued a statement saying it would not agree to any truce with Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza without Shalit’s release.

Shalit, who has been held by Palestinian fighters in Gaza since 2006, is said to be the main topic on the agenda of the Israeli cabinet meeting on Sunday. The Shalit issue gained prominence after reported progress in indirect ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, brokered by Egypt.

Education Minister Yuli Tamir commented on the matter to the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot, "We can't make any move without Gilad Shalit. If he is not brought back now, it could take a very long time. We must seize this opportunity that we may not have again."

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit said in the same regard, "Gilad Shalit must be part of the ceasefire agreement. The time has come and there is no reason to put it off, even if the price is hefty."

Sheetrit stressed that "this is a message to every soldier and parent in Israel. We must not open the borders without Gilad Shalit".

Minister Shalom Simhon said, "We have to expedite Shalit's return. This is our duty to the Shalit family and the citizens of Israel.

"There is no reason to open a quarter of a crossing if this guy is not returned home,” he said, “This government is free to make decisions and has nothing to lose. If one blow wasn't enough for Hamas, it should be dealt another blow."

The Palestinian Authority has responded that linking the Shalit issue to the status of the truce and Gaza’s border crossings is a violation of a 2005 agreement on the operation of the crossings.