- Dec 29, 2008
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Washington understands well that Israels restrictions on the Gaza Strip are related to arms smuggling, and that a total relaxation of the restrictions would necessitate assurances that arms stop pouring into the enclave, a senior US official said Monday.
The officials comments came as Egyptian mediators began separate talks Monday with Hamas and Israel to flesh out details of last Wednesdays cease-fire.
The US official said that as a goodwill gesture Israel agreed to extend Palestinian fishing rights from three to six miles off the Gaza coast.
An Egyptian official told Reuters the talks would discuss Palestinian demands for the opening of more Israeli crossings into Gaza. Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar told reporters on Saturday that the group wanted to see the opening of all four goods crossings with Israel that used to operate before 2006.
The senior US official said that Washington realized that stopping the smuggling is a critical element of the cease-fire, and that the US will make this a priority in its discussions with the Egyptians and other international players.
The specific mechanisms of how to fight the smuggling were still to be worked out, he said.
Talks in Egypt start to flesh out... JPost - Diplomacy & Politics
So is this what Obama promised Netanyahu to get him to agree to the ceasefire?
But Hamas has said it will not stop smuggling arms in, so how long will this ceasefire last?
Ten...nine...eight...seven....