Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated that until such time that 24 hours pass without a rocket attack from Hamas-controlled Gaza, the border crossings will remain closed.
Barak is working to deliver a message to Hamas via the Egyptians, that a one-day period of quiet will permit the reopening of Gaza crossings, seeking to save his shattered ceasefire. He is basically urging Hamas to halt the rockets and reap instant gratification, but to date, it hasn’t worked.
In a now-frequent contradictory move, which is becoming increasingly characteristic with Barak, he gave the order on Monday morning to open the Kerem Shalom Crossing to permit humanitarian aid into Hamas-controlled Gaza. It must be pointed out that never has Barak tied deliveries of humanitarian aid to Gazans to the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
Hamas officials report the ceasefire expires in less than a month and this time around, they will not agree to an extension unless Israel agrees to the same conditions in Yehuda and Shomron, which would compel the IDF to withdraw its forces from those areas. Hamas is also demanding the opening of the Rafiach Crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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2 Responses
If you believe that humanitarian aid is a special case, then you don’t won’t limit it reciprocity. Otherwise, you bring yourself to their level.
OTOH, if it at all raises GS’s chances, then that trumps any high falutin’ ideals. Thing is, I don’t think it will make things even a mah shehu better for us/him. So we fall back to “what’s the right thing for us to do” having nothing to do with their actions.
STUPID, when the gates are open guns, grenades, weapons are smuggled in and the quiet wasnt quiet it was time to resupply the terrorists with weapons.
Close and lock the gates, then shut the lights and wait for a call from Hamas with Shalit at the other end. No shalit no supplies, time to play hardball.