Israel want Hamas to abide by Oslo Accord

Senior Fatah official Nabil Shaath has said that intense efforts to agree on a solution between Palestine and Israel, adding that it is too early as yet to ascertain the failure of negotiations as both sides remain in contact. Speaking to a radio station after meeting with Hamas’ top Cairo official, Shaath said Mashaal had informed him that negotiations had entered a “serious stage” towards a ceasefire. He, however, did not find it likely that an agreement will be reached soon due to Israel’s insistence on its conditions and refusal to accept Hamas’. According to Shaath, the conditions introduced by Hamas and the resistance factions are: Lifting the blockade completely, ending Israeli Army’s occasional sallies into Gaza Strip territories, creating safe zones within the strip, ending the targeting of senior resistance operatives and ending assaults on and shootings at fishermen Shaath also revealed that Israel had abandoned its impossible condition of Hamas disarmament and end to rocket attacks in return for pledging only not to target civilians. Turkey and Qatar are heavily involved in the negotiations, Shaath said, and everything is going through Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. On guarantees against Israel breaching the ceasefire, Shaath said the only guarantee was “commitment in return for commitment.” The Fatah official also dismissed the possibility of a long-term ceasefire saying “things are difficult but negotiations are at a vital stage.” Shaath also revealed that Mashaal informed him of Hamas’ willingness to resume national dialogue negotiation. Mashaal has, according to Shaath, requested President Morsi to bring the two camps to the dialogue table immediately to implement what they had previously agreed upon. Israeli and Palestinian sources had leaked what they referred to as Israel’s preconditions for a ceasefire, which closely resemble the regulations stated in the Oslo Accords security annex. The leaked preconditions were: A long truce lasting over 15 years, an end to arms smuggling into Gaza, and considering any newly acquired arms a breach of the truce, ending the practice by Hamas and other factions of firing missiles into Israel and targeting Israeli soldiers along the border, Israel has the right of hot pursuit when attacked or in case of intelligence forecasting an attack, the blockade on the Gaza Strip will be lifted via Rafah and with coordination between Egypt and Hamas, and not through Israeli border crossings and Egypt is political guarantor of the agreement, meaning Mohammed Morsi and not Egyptian security authorities. Israel has threatened a full-scale war (ground, naval and aerial) against the Gaza Strip until the Hamas government is toppled if these conditions are not met within 48-72 hours. This messages was delivered by various mediators.