Sarkozy Says Israel Accepts Egyptian-French Cease-Fire Plan, But Hamas Rejects It

(CBS/AP) French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Wednesday that Israel had accepted an Egyptian-French cease-fire plan for the Gaza Strip, but Hamas officials in Syria told CBS News that they could not agree to the plan because it does not guarantee open border crossings or an end to a crippling blockade.

Nicolas Sarkozy said the Palestinian Authority, which has not had any control in the Strip for more than a year, also agreed to the plan that was offered up by the French and Egyptian foreign ministers at the United Nations Tuesday night.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[MagisterLudi]

Time for Hamas to lay down their weapons, and let secular Palestinians take over governance. PLO was evicted from Jordan, leading to lasting peace.
Same courtesy should be provided to Hamas. Iran can take them. Surely it is more honorable that hiding in hallways of the maternity ward of the Gaza hospital?

[Tatiana]

Sad picture.

Laying the dead out like that, why?

[Ramirez]

They always display their dead for the cameras. It's supposed to get them sympathy from the West. It's macabre but it works surprisingly often.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

To honor their martyrdom / stir revenge (the saddest part to me).
Depends on perspective.

As opposed to US efforts to stifle any images of military caskets out of fear of inciting opposition to the wars.
http://www.exit.com/Archives/caskets/

Again, depends on perspective.

[Ramirez]

Has Hamas already collapsed?
From the Jpost:
*******

"It"s hard to tell who"s in charge in the Gaza Strip these days," said a Ramallah-based analyst. "Hamas"s political leaders have disappeared after throwing away their mobile phones. No one knows exactly what Hamas wants."

The analyst said that according to his sources, the embattled Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip were no longer in direct contact with their colleagues in Syria¦

Another Ramallah-based political analyst said that the political leadership of Hamas has given the movement"s armed wing, Izaddin al-Kassam, full freedom to take any measures it deems necessary to prevent the collapse of the Hamas regime.

"The gunmen on the streets are now in charge," he noted. "This is a dangerous situation, because they don"t report to anyone at the top. This has created a state of anarchy and confusion."

Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip said on Monday that the general feeling was that Hamas does not exist any longer as a governing body. "All their government institutions have been destroyed," said a Gaza City reporter. "The Hamas leaders are now behaving like al-Qaida"s Osama bin Laden and [his deputy] Ayman Zawahiri. Their only public appearances are through recorded messages aired on Arab TV stations."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231167266919&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Thanks.

But if such is the case, where are ANY Palestinian leaders of any stripe to call on the free-lancers to cease their fire?

[SERGIOUK]

HAMAS is in control of the cities. The Israelis are too scared to enter the cities because of the casualties that would occur. Not good for votes........