Israel agrees to 12-hour truce starting tomorrow morning..

[kentuck]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/25/gaza-fighting-pause_n_5622017.html

<snip>
CAIRO, July 25 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that Israel will begin a 12-hour pause in Gaza hostilities starting at 7 am Israeli time (0400 GMT) on Saturday, a U.S. official said on Friday.

The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, made the comment when asked about Kerry's earlier statement on a goodwill gesture by Netanyahu at a press conference in Cairo. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Writing by Oliver Holmes; Editing by Susan Fenton)

[NaturalHigh]

1. Has Hamas agreed to a cease fire?

[KittyWampus]

2. don't want to know what they'll do until then.

[BainsBane]

3. Good news

[HERVEPA]

5. Stuff it.

Any criticism of suicide bombers from you? Or a culture that fosters it?

[BillZBubb]

7. Past suicide bombers don't excuse the murder of nearly a thousand by Israel.

But nice try.

[HERVEPA]

9. You know, during the intifadas, didn't see very many condemnations of the suicide bombers.

Or of the culture celebrating them.

[BillZBubb]

11. Not so. But there are three big differences anyway.

There were plenty of condemnations of the suicide bombers both in the US and abroad.

There are reasons Israel seems to get more condemnation here though. First, the US financially supports Israel and Israel ignores our concerns. Second, we expect more from Israel than the Palestinians. Israel is supposed to support our values. Finally, Israel is occupying the Palestinian's land and maintains a cruel occupation. So, the Palestinians lashing out irrationally is not unexpected. Most occupied peoples attack their occupiers in whatever way they can.

[Thinkingabout]

6. Hopefully they can stop this war and work as hard for peace as the do blowing each other

Apart. Israel uses their iron very well and Hamas does not have one, it is only getting Palestinians killed.

[BillZBubb]

8. There won't be peace until Israel decides to free the West Bank.

Israel will never do that until forced to.

[Thinkingabout]

10. Israel does not like rockets flying all of the time. To be honest it appears both sides thinks they

Getting something out of their turmoil. I can see where there is conflict and the Palestinians needs their own country but the firing of rockets is really only getting mostly Palestinians killed. Sit down and iron out some kind of agreement.

[BillZBubb]

12. What part of no agreement is possible don't you get?

Israel won't give back the West Bank without a fight. The Palestinians aren't going to give up their rights to their land. Nor should they. So, the Palestinians know they have to fight.

[Thinkingabout]

14. Hey there will be more Palestinians killed and perhaps a few Israeli, what part of the continued

Killing is ever going to be enough. At the current time Israel has the upper hand.

[BlindTiresias]

13. Right wing elements

In Israel have consistently worked to destroy any compromise, and seeing as Israel has all the cards they have to be the primary mover. Read up on Netanyahu and his efforts to dismantle the peace process.

[Thinkingabout]

15. What has been accomplished so far?

[BlindTiresias]

16. What do you mean?

[Thinkingabout]

18. Have the gained their freedom? Seems like people are dying and they talk past

Each other, so what has been accomplished.

[BlindTiresias]

19. Well...

The Israeli right has gotten exactly what they wanted. The situation today is more or less the Likud end game, save for more radical elements that want to bulldoze the Palestinian territories and force the inhabitants to resettle elsewhere.

[Thinkingabout]

20. I don't agree with the Palestinians not having a country but sending bombs into Israel

Is like a mosquito buzzing your head. It is not going to fix the problem. There needs to be some give enough to talk. The Israeli are killing Palestinians at a fast rate, there is not any peace for them.

[BlindTiresias]

23. Granted

But you are essentially calling for a political entity in a sort of limbo to act in a way only highly organized nation states can act, that is to say, the total and complete cessation of violence. Granted, Hamas was able to curb the rocket attacks by 98% in 2013 but the Israeli right wing will use the outlying events that are extremely difficult to curb in order to lash out violently, which in turn sets off the cycle of violence again. Asking for 100% cessation of violence by everyone in Palestine is unrealistic and Likud is fully aware of this fact and uses it to great effect.

[Thinkingabout]

24. Surely there may be some pressure placed on both sides, for years there has been

Attempts to get peace in the area without good results. The bombs on either side will not bring peace only more deaths.

[BlindTiresias]

25. Well

From what I understand Hamas was recently mending their ties with the PLO which would essentially de-militarize Hamas and enable a more unified government for a two-state solution or some kind of integration. This was likely blown up by the latest escalation of violence, which was sparked by individuals who had splintered from Hamas kidnapping those three teenagers and the resultant Israeli reprisal where they arrested hundreds, specifically targeting Hamas aligned individuals. My general point is the greater burden of restraint and leadership should be on the stronger party, which is Israel. However, you essentially have a very powerful right wing there whose entire existence is predicated upon a state of eternal war with the Palestinians, not unlike American neo-conservatives. I don't see how this will be resolved without external pressure and a hard handed approach against Hamas militants -and- the Israeli right.

[RobertEarl]

26. You nailed it

The right-winger, pro war mentality is winning and is in control of Israel.

Can't believe people don't get that. Especially on DU.

[WinkyDink]

22. About when we return the Alamo to Mexico.

[BillZBubb]

28. Like all Israeli apologists, you need a history lesson.

There is no comparison between the two issues.

[Boom Sound 416]

17. These two paragraphs

Are a perfect example of slant.

[WinkyDink]

21. Guarantee Hamas will lob rockets.

[morningfog]

27. Good. Here's to hoping that this results in meaningful talks and an end to this

madness.