Olmert announces unilateral ceasefire in Gaza

[Piffle]

On BBC news24 now

About time.

Thank God. Any god.

rather like shutting the gate after the horse has died. Better than never tho.

I suspect that the timing of it (in relation to the presidency of the USA) is not necessarily coincidental, and as such, it will hold at least until Barack Obama's intentions towards Israel become clearer.

But perhaps I'm too cynical.

the news item I saw said that they are also opening up access/exit routes in and out of Gaza which can only be good.

I disagree, tbh, rev. He does have domestic stuff to sort out, but I get the impression that he wants to sort out some of the mess that his predecessor has made of the world. Twill be interesting to see what he has to say on the subject next week.

This bombing campaign has always been about elections, I just don't know how those fuckers sleep at night, I truly don't.

I do not care if it's cynically timed. I'm sure it will be cynically exploited by many too, but no more people killed is worth braving a bit of cynicism in my book.

I think it's a crying shame because Obama will most definitely disappoint. How can he not? He's not the messiah, he's just a nice politician.

I'm sorry to sound cyncial, but I think Obama will do exactly the same as every other American president, and unconditionally support Israel no matter what it does.

I hope to be proved wrong. But I doubt I will be.

well, I thought the whole thing was cynically timed tbh.

And I totally agree, it doesn't matter why they have called the ceasefire. The important thing is that they have

"We genuinely never wanted to cause any discomfort..."

Discomfort? Fucking discomfort?

Nope. he's going to do exactly the same. Hasn't he appointed some pro-israeli people in his government (Rahm Emmanuel, or did I imagine that?)

I'm just glad that the poor bloody benighted people of Gaza have been spared another night of killing. Hope it holds until something longer term can be sorted out. (I am aware this is akin to wishing for the moon on a stick...)

Olmert at the press conference

Me too Edam.

Rahm Emmanuel is Jewish (and a Zionist I think) and I understand Obama practically begged him to join his administration and that Emmanuel was very reluctant to do so because of his young family. However I do not think you will see any open support of Israel from Obama, he's not stupid and the best way of securing long term peace is to make everyone think you are on their side.

The question is- will Hamas ever accept the existence of Israel because it appears that some Arab states would.

The same way that Israel and the US have agreed to cooperate to end smuggling between Egypt and Gaza and Lebanon too. Vision to stultify and piss off Iran.
Surely a contract between Egypt and Hamas or Hezbollah and Israel would be more prudent...
But that would mean negotiating, compromising with The Other Side...