IDF: Hamas to abide by cease-fire after PA vote

[Behind the Aegis]

Hamas is expected to continue its hiatus on attacks after the Palestinian parliamentary elections, senior Israel Defense Forces officers told Haaretz recently. The officers said that assuming Hamas does well at the polls, it is likely to maintain the calm it agreed to about a year ago.

The officers also said the next milestone for Hamas to weigh its alternatives would be in June after elections in Israel and the formation of a new government.

Since the understanding it reached with the Palestinian Authority at the end of January 2005, Hamas has generally avoided perpetrating attacks. In the Gaza Strip, it is focusing on upgrading its terrorist infrastructure, mainly by producing longer range Qassam rockets, and planning attacks it is not yet implementing.

In some cases, Hamas is working with other organizations, such as the Popular Resistance Committees, in launching attacks that it directed and funded but was not blamed for.

In isolated cases local Hamas cells, especially in Hebron, carried out shooting attacks and in one case sent a suicide bomber to Be'er Sheva, although that attack failed. It is not clear to what extent these moves were coordinated with the organization's Gaza leadership.

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[bemildred]

1. This makes me think of this story, for some reason:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x112292#112293

"The actual reason, however, is different. Israel, behind the scenes and through third parties, has been using its leverage to indirectly bargain with Hamas. Since Hamas is eager to take part in these elections, and since some elements within the PA and Fatah might seize on the Israeli position as an excuse to cancel or postpone elections, Israel has used this as a bargaining chip to make Hamas stop launching rockets from Gaza."