Hamas Ceasefire?

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The big question is - Will their ceasefire be accepted?

Personally, I think the Israelis will not let targets of opportunity go and I would expect Hamas to still come under fire for at least the next few weeks.
It will be interesting to see the reaction of the Palestinian Authority to any continued operations against Hamas.

Whenever there's a ceasefire, there's always radicals that aren't going to accept it and continue killing. I can't see this one being any different, and with both sides being stubborn as they are, I can see the whole thing escalating a lot more before it subsides.

I can't see this cease fire lasting.Hamas has stated that it wants to kill all the Jews.It won't be long before they decide to blow up another cafe or some other place that has nothing but civilians in it.

What about a possible split within their organization?

It's entirely possible and you can look at the IRA and RealIRA as an example.

I find it plausible that the main body of Hamas could work for peace.
The extremists will be left out in the cold. They would have no option but to split away. Their main advantage of safety in numbers will be gone and they will have enemies on both sides of the community.

I think it would be far easier to track the extremists down, once they are separated from the moderates.

A ceasefire ? Of course. Til the next terrorism act.

It's like me. Between 2 cigarettes, I don't smoke and between 2 glasses I don't drink.

Originally posted by chebob
Whenever there's a ceasefire, there's always radicals that aren't going to accept it and continue killing. I can't see this one being any different, and with both sides being stubborn as they are, I can see the whole thing escalating a lot more before it subsides.

What he said and more.

Yep, I agree.
There will be radicals.They aren't going to stop the peace process but they will be a problem.

But they won't just be an Israeli problem. They will also be a Palestinian problem.

They will be marginalised. As Hamas is a pretty public organisation within Palestine, the PA probably knows who most of them are. It probably knows where to go and get them.

It's also highly likely that the PA has been giving information to the Israelis about these people.
I doubt very much that a future Palestinian government is going to want extremists running about.
As you've already seen with Osama Bin Laden - an extremist will turn on anyone.

A ceasefire by the main organisation of Hamas is a massive boost to the peace process.

Take the extremists out of the picture. They are outgunned and outmanoeuvred. They can be dealt with.

The cease fire wont last 2 weeks just watch.

With that enormous wall around the west bank area the sutuation will always be hostile and frosty...

But I have more faith in the outcome of this than you guy's.
It won't happen before thend of this year, but peace will come... I hope

Originally posted by Zion Mainframe

It won't happen before thend of this year, but peace will come... I hope

Whatever happens, there will be peace.
But who knows who on which side will be around to enjoy it?

Originally posted by Leveller

Originally posted by Zion Mainframe

It won't happen before thend of this year, but peace will come... I hope

Whatever happens, there will be peace.
But who knows who on which side will be around to enjoy it?

Leveller, "there will be peace" .....?
Is that an opinion or fact? Things are so 'touchy touchy' over there, all it would take is one good misguided act and I would be willing to wager that 'peace' will easily resort to what it was prior to discussions of a cease-fire.
One needs to ask, is the desire for peace, by all involved really wanted? Does Hamas really want peace? Have they also not said in the past, that they would not rest/cease till Israel was pushed into the sea....ie: gone? Thats a pretty stiff creedo wouldn't you say? And now Hamas is 'playing into' the cease fire bit? One has to wonder if Israel or Hamas, or other unseen forces involved in this, really do want true peace or is this a 'buying time' period to regroup, etc.?

Don't get me wrong, but there have been countless 'cease-fire' agreements and none have lead to true 'peace'....what makes one think this will? Having a positive outlook doesn't mean anything if the real motive is not a real desire for a lasting peace.

regards
seekerof

Originally posted by Seekerof
Leveller, "there will be peace" .....?
Is that an opinion or fact?

It's a fact. Eventually there can only be peace. Man cannot be at war with himself for ever. Eventually they will have to agree or one or both sides will be wiped out.

But don't panic!!!

I've studied up on this one a lot. From what I can see, everything is going according to plan at the moment. You might not see that, but when you look at history carefully, you can see that they have come an awfully long way this time. Perhaps further than any other peace process before.

My gut feeling? Ultimately, I don't see either side having a choice in the matter. It's gonna take time and it depends on how much the West wants it - but there will be peace this time.

I can agree with that Leveller, really.

But one also has to notice that history does have a tendency to repeat itself also.

regards
seekerof

It does. But I believe that we could have taken peace at any time.
The problem is that both sides have to be ready for it.

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There is a lot more to Israel than meets the eye in my opinion. The Jewish question is only the tip of the iceberg. It is covering up something much, much bigger.

Yes, as many, I have watched this as an adult for over twenty-five years and I can't tell much difference between then and now. This is a war that goes back a few thousand years and the bad blood runs so deep, I can not be optimistic that there are enough level heads to ensure peace, or change the hearts of those hell -bent on destruction.
Every time we say Peace, we get war. Ever notice that? After a while one just grows weary of it all.

A Hamas leader was quoted as saying on the bbc worldservice last night saying threy had not agreed to a cease fire yet.