Hamas, of course, would only want a truce in order to give it time to amass strength to fight again more effectively. From AP, with thanks to Mackie:
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Hamas-led Palestinian government called for a cease-fire in its violent two-week standoff with Israel but stopped short Saturday of offering to release an Israeli soldier held by Hamas militants. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected the proposal by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. Olmert will not agree to a truce until Hamas releases the soldier, officials in Olmert's office said.Earlier, an Israeli Cabinet minister said Israel hopes the fighting, which has killed more than 40 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier, eventually will lead to a broader cease-fire deal.
In fighting Saturday, Israeli troops exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen, and army bulldozers searched for militants' tunnels near Gaza City. In northern Gaza, tanks pulled out of the town of Beit Lahiya, leaving a wide swath of destruction after trying to carve out a buffer zone against rockets there.
Israel's two-week military campaign, prompted by the abduction of Cpl. Gilad Shalit has put the Hamas government under growing pressure. Israel has arrested several Palestinian Cabinet ministers and Hamas lawmakers.
On Saturday, Haniyeh issued a five-point cease-fire proposal, calling on Israel to halt its offensive and release prisoners but saying little about what Hamas is prepared to do in return.
The arabic word is hudna. According to the doctrine of jihad as defined by the Koran, ahadith, Sira and authoritative Islamic judicial commentaries down through the centuries, it is a temporary cessation in hostilities that is designed to give the Moslem forces time to recuperate. A hudna may only be offered by the Moslem forces if they are weaker than their opponent.
The mainstream media usually reports offers of hudna as "truce" or in a complete distortion of truth, as "peace". So the Israelis are often portrayed as rejectors of "peace" when in fact, because of their understanding of the truth of the hudna smokescreen due to decades of painful experience with the deception, they are defending their civilian population from further attack.
Just curious but can you referance any incidents in Mohammeds life where "Hudna" was utilized?
Maybe the Israeil option isn't open to most Western societies because the decisions don't determine our annihilation as they do with Israel, but it is amazing how effectively the Israelis get the Arabs' attention! Immediate. They're like beagles! They really sit up and notice what heavy duty strategy the Israelis are pulling. No holds barred. Most of the time the Arabs are playing hardball, you know, they're going to make you err the day you ever dreamed you'd dare to be up against them in the same stadium. But up against the Isrealites ( 4 million against 200 million ? ) they come over all timid. Demanding intervention from the UN.
Hanyeh & Rantissi should seek some serious advice from sheik Yassin...
...and Israel should do whatever necessary to arrange that meeting!
Avatar,
Al-Hudaibiyya
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/008111.php#c125183
IN RELATED STORIES:
Scorpion, with hiker's shoe on its back, asks for 'truce' so that it can reposition its stinger to reach above the leather and hit the ankle.
Tiger, with foot caught in trap, asks for 'truce' until it can wriggle its paw free and crush the trapper's spine in its jaws.
Cobra, with shovel on its neck, asks for 'truce' until it can wriggle sideways and strike its fangs into the farmer's leg.
Israel needs to crush the s.o.b.'s while the iron is hot.
The Israelis have made it clear from the beginning that this is to be a limited operation, focused soley on recovering the kidnapped soldier. They are doing it because they cannot have the mahometans pulling this stunt again. Willingness to serve in the IDF depends on the knowledge that even a weak administration, totally oblivious to the true implacable nature of jihad waged against the Jews, must still have the balls to do this one thing.
On the positive side, I suspect the longer range arab rockets falling on Ashkelon has diminished popular support (if it really existed) for handing Judea and Summaria over to the savages.
I see the Palistinians Hamas originazation is clamoring for a Hudna (truce???). They are even asking for UN intervention. As Israel continues to put the hammer down, the weasels continue to cry out. They say the captured Israeli soldier is alive, but yet refuse to release him. ( I truly suspect he was dead the first day he was captured). Israel should continue to be aggressive. They clearly have the military know how and equipment to put the hurt on the terrorist Hamas (and the Palistinians cleary support Hamas) group.The Palistinians have never wanted peace and have never demonstrated any attempt to even look like they wanted peace. They have been happy dealing out death and now death is knocking at their door and they are crying out for someone to save them. IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. NO ONE is going to intervein on their behalf.
Perhaps Syria, Jordan, or Egypt might speak up and show their true colors. But Israel is not afraid of them either. Israel is in a life or death situation, they cannot show weakness. The Eastern world is exploding and for now, it is happening in the Palistinian neighborhoods. And it is from these very neighborhoods that the Hamas rockets fly from. The rockets attack no particular target. As long as the rocket lands in Israel, it is ok with Hamas. There have been reports that some of these rockets may have chemical warheads. This would raise the stakes considerably. It looks like peace talks are definitely out this time.