Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a news conference at his office in Jerusalem August 27, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)
Some Israeli political figures have voiced concern over the Egyptian-brokered open-ended ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian factions, saying it puts Israel in a weak position, the Israeli Haaretz newspaper reported Thursday.
According to the newspaper’s website, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu came under fire for accepting a truce with the Palestinian factions.
Likud Central Committee chairman and Member of Knesset (MK) Danny Danon, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and Habayet Hayehudi faction head MK Ayelet Shaked said that Israel reaching an agreement with the Palestinian groups gave the latter diplomatic credibility, rather than eliminating them.
“A real peace process and a possibility for a strategic breakthrough will be possible only after we liberate the Middle East and Palestinians from Hamas’ threat,” Lieberman wrote on his Facebook page. “Hamas can continue to grow stronger and will conduct another war against Israel at its convenience.”
Israeli parliamentarian Shaked echoed Lieberman’s apprehension on the imminence of another war, saying “A ceasefire that prevents Israel from acting against the missiles or tunnels from the Strip brings the next war closer.”
Netanyahu was also criticised for not seeking the cabinet’s approval prior to accepting the terms of the ceasefire. Danon said that such a decision required a full cabinet session, adding that the seven-week Israeli assault on Gaza began with public support but did not achieve a “decisive victory,” leaving “the people of Israel confused and bewildered.”
“After 70 fatalities and 50 days of fighting, and without the cabinet’s approval of the agreement, the public has a right to an explanation of the details of the agreement or understandings,” former Shin Bet security service head Yuval Diskin tweeted.
However, other coalition partners such as Yesh Atid and Hatnuah parties supported Netanyahu’s acceptance of the truce and urged the prime minister to work on a two-state solution.
Netanyahu appeared to respond to some of the criticism voiced in a statement posted to his official Facebook page Thursday.
“Upon the establishment of the ceasefire, I can say that there is a major military achievement here, as well as a major diplomatic achievement for the State of Israel. Hamas was hit hard and it did not receive even a single one of the conditions that it set for a ceasefire, not even one.”
Netanyahu added that, in addition to not getting any of its conditions met, Hamas did not achieve a diplomatic victory and is now diplomatically isolated.
Although Netanyahu received considerable criticism within Israel, the international community has welcomed the agreement, which came into effect at 7:00pm Cairo time (1600 GMT) Tuesday.
“I warmly welcome the agreement on a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and call on all parties to comply fully with the terms agreed. The easing of the blockade is an encouraging step,” President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz was quoted as saying in a statement published on the European Parliament’s website.
Institutional support for the deal also came from Arab League Secretary-General Nabil El-Arabi, who praised Wednesday the efforts of Cairo to reach the Tuesday agreement between the parties. El-Arabi called on the Palestinian groups and Israel to “exert their maximum efforts in abiding by the terms and conditions of the deal.”
“The Arab League continues to examine — with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas — Arab and international moves to end Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories and prevent further violations of the Palestinians’ legitimate rights,” El-Arabi said.
Head of the Palestinian negotiating delegation, Azzam Al-Ahmed, told AFP that Egypt’s initiative — on which the truce deal was built — includes opening crossings into Gaza for goods and humanitarian and food aid, along with medical supplies and material to repair water, electricity and mobile phone networks.
Restrictions on fishing would end immediately with boats allowed to fish and sail up to six nautical miles from shore, Al-Ahmed said.
Since the beginning of Israel’s offensive on Gaza, 8 July, some 2,143 Palestinians were killed and more than 12,000 others injured. On the Israeli side, 70 — including 64 soldiers — were killed.
Ahramonline
