The Gaza Ceasefire That Wasn't

By Cernig

The "ceasefire" in Gaza is apparently over, as Israeli tanks cross into the Strip again, airstrikes kill Palestinians and Israel closes all border crossings to humanitarian aid, in response to a bomb set off by a group "using an uncommon name not previously linked with the ruling Hamas Islamist movement". The bomb killed one IDF soldier and wounded three others. Neither side seemed ready to seek a peaceful course:

"I don't care who fired," said Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who is leading the ruling party in the campaign for the February 10 ballot. "Hamas controls Gaza and is responsible for everything that happens. Whenever they fire at me from Gaza, set off a bomb or launch a missile or smuggle (weapons), Israel will respond."

...Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri did not claim responsibility but praised the bomb attack on the troops as "a natural response to the crimes of the occupier." Two Palestinians were killed last week in incidents blamed on Israeli fire.

Although that attitude seems more excusable on the part of Palestinians than Israel. While Hilary Clinton feels politically safe in announcing that "We support Israel's right to self-defense...rocket barrages ... cannot go unanswered," she was silent on whether the inhabitants of Gaza likewise have a right to self-defense against unprovoked attacks. As Siun at FDL notes, ever since the twin unilateral "ceasefires" were announced, Israel has been breaking its word. Hostile acts include naval shelling of Palestinian fishing boats and the Gazan shore, sniper fire that has critically wounded children and random artillery harassment. No wonder a Hamas spokesman reportedly recently said that they'd always understood Israel's actions as a "temporary lull" rather than a real ceasefire.

Marc Lynch on Monday set out five ways in which Israel, with Bush's compliance, set out to make any peace initiative in the Middle East a far more difficult task for the incoming Obama administration. Israel seems set on poisoning the well even further and Hamas seems just as keen that there be no peace. Meanwhile, Clinton is wearing her "Madame AIPAC" hat. Let us hope that Jim Lobe has accurate insider information when he writes that newly-appointed Middle East Envoy expects to report directly to Obama himself, not just to his Secretary of State.