Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday, where he will hold meetings with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Suleiman will push the senior Israeli officials to accept the Egyptian initiative, a peace plan that will result in a cessation of Israeli military operations in Gaza in return for a Hamas commitment for a cessation of attacks.

Over the weekend, some 30 rockets pounded the Greater Sderot Area, claiming the life of one Israeli and living others injured. There was also considerable property damage. The rockets fired were Iranian manufacture, as Tehran is seeking to build up Hamas’ military abilities towards dictating realities in Jerusalem based on fears of a growing Hamas threat. Unlike the homemade rockets manufactured in Gaza, which are also deadly, the Iranian ones are military grade, making them increasingly dangerous and potentially fatal.

Israel is signaling that it does not plan to accept the Egyptian plan ‘as is’ since it does not address the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who is being held by Hamas since June 2006. Security arrangements at the Rafiah border between Gaza and Sinai is also a sticking point – the subject of sharp disagreement between Cairo and Yerushalayim.

Despite exhibiting an air of a genuine mediator, Egyptian forces basically turn a blind eye permitting the weapons supply train to Gaza to continue, with much passing under their noses via Rafiah.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)