Perhaps 'ultimatim' is how offer of peace is translated taking example from the quran.

Remember the “An Open Letter and Call from Muslim Religious Leaders” that was an ultimatum as well!

Unfortunately the Western media are not very good at these word games.

Posted by: James at May 4, 2008 5:21 PM

"it may lead to unprecedented escalation."...

they are not fooling anyone these days...everyone knows the violence will continue whether you agree or not.

last man standing wins.

Posted by: pulsar182 at May 4, 2008 5:22 PM

Is anyone still fooled by Muslim truces? they demand truces when they need to rearm and regroup. Need to bring in more weaponry. Been this way since Muhammad declared a few phony truces

Posted by: dennisw at May 4, 2008 5:27 PM

"All options are open. The ball is in the Israeli court,"

If anyone had an enemy like Israel, who refuses to defend itself shamelessly, would that enemy begin to think it could win? Likely, when terrorists are allowed to call the shots.

Posted by: Sounder at May 4, 2008 5:42 PM

Good Grief. Get off Israel's back, you Barbarians.

Every country in the ME is Mohammedan. But, you just have to have Israel, too. The evil that Mohammed the Charlatan wreaked on the world with his invented "religion" Islam is inconceivable. Except that it's true.

Posted by: darcy at May 4, 2008 6:05 PM

Attention should also be given to the sinister role of the government of Egypt, which not only has made possible by its wilful negligence, or in some cases active collaboration, the smuggling of arms and explosives into Gaza, in direct violation of its solemn commitments under the Camp David Accords (which it has violated in every possible way). The Egyptians know perfectly well what the offer of a "hudna" means -- that is, they know it means nothing except a temporary truce until the Arab Muslim side can become stronger, and the local Arabs, the so-called "Palestinians" of Gaza, really do think that it is only right, it is only just, it is only fair that the people whom they wish to wipe out, the Israelis, should re-supply them, those same murderous Arabs battening on, and feeding their own children, an unrelieved diet of hysterical hatred, with food, with oil and gas, with medicines and, in case of need, even with that medical care that the Israelis, crazed with their own adherence to impossibly high standards, insist on continuing to offer, and to provide, for those who would, and do, kill them.

Posted by: Hugh at May 4, 2008 6:06 PM

...and I am confident that Israel will unpresidentedly escalate you right back....in spades no less.

Posted by: pismopal at May 4, 2008 6:11 PM

People

if anyone wants to try their hand at educating - every little bit helps! - there is the perfect 'hook' over at Jerusalem Post at present.

Not the article Robert has presented here, but a different one, in the 'Opinion' section, entitled 'Holding Back Imperial Iranian Theocracy'.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1209626999329&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The author can see imperialism and theocracy but appears to have very little idea of where it is REALLY coming from. I quote a few sample paragraphs:

"A perpetual source of conflict with Islam itself [?] has been between fundamentalist and evolutionist readings of the Koran, greater perhaps than any theological dispute within that faith. But the new brand of fanaticism born towards the end of the 20th century is of a totally different nature. [!!!???]

"The theocratic doctrine that came to light in the second half of the 20th century in the main Shi'ite school of Najaf in Iraq, later to be put in practice by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 in Iran, introduced [NO: REVIVED, straight out of the core Muslim playbook!] three devastating elements: (1) the principle of the rule of the religious authority; (2) suicidal terrorism as a major political-religious-military tool; and (3) world domination, the first step being "through Karbala to al-Quds [Jerusalem]," with the ultimate goal of "introducing the Islamic revolution to all of mankind" (President Ahmadinejad to the Assembly of Experts, IRNA, February 25, 2008 - translation by MEMRI).

"THE IRANIAN clergy's traditional weapon of manipulation and dissimulation [!! - in fact, the traditional weapon of ISLAM, period] has so far proved more successful than any other in winning its first strategic objective: to dominate Karbala, the Shi'ite holy city located in Iraq...".

Anyway: it's a great opportunity to advertise, inter alia, Spencer, Bat Yeor, Bostom and Trifkovic, and to share with such JPost readers as read 'talkbacks', a whole bunch of all those horrid passages from the Quran, the Hadith, the Sira, and the rest. Or 'boiled down' excerpts from Our Hugh's discussions of Islam as the Arab Imperial Religion.

Letters to the Editor could also be deployed, a propos said article on Iran, or the one we're boggling at, here, namely, Hamas' "give us everything we demand, or DIE!" 'truce' offer.

Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at May 4, 2008 6:24 PM

"Hamas was ready to deal with one of two possibilities: Pacification or escalation."

Seems to me Hamas needs a truce badly. They sound like boys before collapse.

Posted by: FreeSpeech at May 4, 2008 6:26 PM

From their playbook dated 1277:

The iman is authorized to negotaite suspension of hostilities with a view to the general interrest, for example, in the case where the number of Muslim soldiers is too weak to be able to continue the war advantageouly; when it is necessary to wait for reinforcements, or where there is the hope that, thanks to a suspension in hostilities, the infidels will covert voluntarily to islam.

Except for the cases mentioned in the preceding article, and when the Muslim army is strong enough in number to pursue the war, it is not permitted to declare a truce.

From Andrew G. Bostrom's The Legacy of Jihad. page 209. A long read but worthwhile.

Posted by: PraiaFlamego at May 4, 2008 7:16 PM

Accept the truce or else? I'd take the else. Screw the bastards.

Posted by: Wellington at May 4, 2008 7:37 PM

The arrogance, the endless sheer unmitigated arrogance. The swaggering of cowards and the bluster of liars. And all the while playing the 'victim' card to the hilt.

Posted by: poetcomic1 at May 4, 2008 7:43 PM

I vote "or else"...time to show them what "or else" can bring.

Posted by: pulsar182 at May 4, 2008 7:46 PM

They lie. Mohammetans lie. There can never be truce with liars.

These Hamas Muslims are the lowest worms of the Earth. They lie.

Posted by: Battle_of_Tours at May 4, 2008 7:57 PM

Hamas prefers war at Election time. Easier for the Alphabet Media to give them the Victory. They will continue to beg for it no matter what they "sign". Just like they have been.

Still waiting on that Rocket per power reduction ratio.

Posted by: flowerknife_us at May 4, 2008 7:59 PM

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts and Muslims bearing peace! No Hudna! Unconditional Surrender!

Posted by: David England at May 4, 2008 8:16 PM

The police have Olmert under investigation, again. It started Friday and the charges have been kept a secret.
A man with his back against the wall can and will do disparate things I pray he doesn't sacrifice Israel for his own skin.

Posted by: Aunt Bea at May 4, 2008 8:23 PM

sorry, desperate.

Posted by: Aunt Bea at May 4, 2008 8:24 PM

This is a farce. There are, as Hamas well knows, too many loose cannons out there for any truce to last a week. (Yes, I am an optimist.) This is just a ploy designed to put lipstick on the Hamas pig.

Scenario: Israel accepts the truce. Demonstrations in Hamas controlled areas celebrate "defeat" of the Jews. Celebrations include firing rockets into Israel. Israel responds in kind. Hamas accuses the Zionists of treachery. The UN issues yet another resolution condemning Israel.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Posted by: USBeast at May 4, 2008 8:29 PM

First I presume all here are familiar with the term Hudna, if not I recommend doing some real research and discovery, it would help your understanding of almost all relations between Dar-Al-Harb and Dar-Al-Islam.

Now if we examine this Hunda offered by the Mohammedan we actually see extreme weakness in its’ position or bluff.

First we find the bluff by Hamas as they threaten an "unprecedented escalation" against Israel if it does not agree soon.

This suggests one of two things for their “escalation”, first would be a rush of homicide bombers attempting to breach the security wall. (Not likely to succeed in doing much other then filling Israeli jails with some of the extra mouths Hamas has trouble supporting.)

Second method would be an increase of rocket attacks. (This is very likely and they might get away with it because of the anti-Semitic main stream media’s view that “a dead Jew is still too few.” Of coarse any surgical strikes the Israeli state does will have the MSM and UN howling over it and a few FRANCE-2 reports creating some more documentary-dramas.) Either way, watch for a Pallywood media blitz.

But the fact that Hamas is demanding an immediate Hudna means the partial blockade and surgical strikes are shaking their ability to maintain their Islamofascist State. This is most likely due to lack of ability to produce any of the bare essentials for it’s population. (Unless you count Kassam Rockets and Homicide Belts as a bare essential.)

Hamas claims that the offer was agreed upon by twelve Palestinian factions last week, but the real question is “How many will be formed to get around this and let Hamas claim they aren’t able to control them?”, and also “When will Hamas declare the Hudna null and void in the typical Mohammedan tradition?” Of coarse, we know, they will also claim the other side violate the terms, if Israel doesn’t live up to their expected suicide, can’t have them “EVIL JOOOS” polluting the air near the Mohammedan by breathing. And we know the EU, UN, Condi, Bush, Dhimmi Jimmy will all scream for Israeli blood. After all you can’t humiliate the Ummah by letting those EVIL JOOOS … gasp... still breath and be free.

And here we have the KEY sentence, “Hamas was ready to deal with one of two possibilities: Pacification or escalation.” That’s right, PACIFICATION not peace, but Israeli PACIFICATION, that’s surrender pure and simple, either surrender and agree to Dhimmitude or we’ll kill you. That’s it, the whole “Hudna” in a nut shell and only nuts like Dhimmi Carter, Condi, Bush, the EU, and the UN would buy it.

The very last sentence reveals the true situation, "All options are open. The ball is in the Israeli court," Abu Zuhri said, adding that if Israel continues its procrastination, aggression and blockade of Gaza, "it may lead to unprecedented escalation."...

In other words they are impotent and will send waves of hungry mouths at the Israelis along with more Kassam rockets (like they will ever stop doing that) and curses (or stop cursing the EVIL JOOOS) hopping for the intercession of Dhimmi Carter, Condi, Bush, the EU, and the UN. That is in truth their whole strategy to whine that the Israelis didn’t accept “PACIFICATION” and the world must force them into Dhimmitude for the honor of the Ummah.

Posted by: senor doeboy at May 4, 2008 9:07 PM

Or else what? They will continue shelling the Western Negev? They will lie to the world that there is mass starvation in Gaza?

It is a hollow threat. Now if the Israeli government had any balls it would threaten them back. Total destructions unless the rockets stopped immediately and Gilad Schalit is returned.

And to Hell with what the world thinks. They will condemn Israel no matter what happens. Might as well let the world condemn them for fighting back!

Posted by: Mystical Time Traveler at May 4, 2008 9:13 PM

The best truce or hudna that Hamas could get, does not require a brokered Egyptian-mediated cease-fire offer at all.

All Hamas has to do is stop shooting rockets into Israel,stop staging attacks on Israel, and there is no paper required for that. Walla they get their hudna so they can build up their arsonals for the next fabricated provocation which will come in one form or another anyway, and no matter how restrained Israel acts.

Posted by: Mackie at May 4, 2008 9:45 PM

Do you know what those arms smuggling tunnels dug under Gaza are? Hamas-holes.

Posted by: jewdog at May 4, 2008 9:49 PM

Yes yes, more of the shrieking lalalalal "rivers of blood stuff" out of the Middle East. These jokers can only toss poorly made "rockets" at Israel, and make threats.

If Hamas wants peace, they will act peaceful. As for Israel, it should create a 10km "dead zone" between it and Gaza. This would keep the rockets out of range of Israel and with sensor nets could help ensure that nothing larger than a gopher gets within a kilometer of the wall.

Islam can not produce a coherent sustaining society by itself, we need only contain it in order for it to collapse in on itself. This is sad for the Muslims who still believe in the false promises of Islam, however we do have the right to protect ourselves from tyrants.

Posted by: James Martel at May 4, 2008 9:58 PM

I wonder if the esteemed James Earl Carter's recent confab with Hamas had anything to do with this new demand? Did they somehow get a feeling of legitamacy?

To all you prospective parents: Never name a child James Earl, he might become a prominate anti-semite, an assasin, or an actor.

Posted by: Pelayo at May 4, 2008 10:01 PM

Or else, I hope that Israel names the first nuke they drop that, or else.

Posted by: Winged_Hussar at May 4, 2008 10:03 PM

I, too, vote for letting Israel exercise the "or else" option.

"The ball is in the Israeli court."

Israel's next play should be to re-occupy Gaza, arrest the entire Hamas leadership, and set about undertaking the difficult task of integrating Gaza into Israel proper.

Posted by: Eastview at May 4, 2008 10:03 PM

Oops, I just found out that James Earl Jones was born Todd Jones.

Posted by: Pelayo at May 4, 2008 10:04 PM

Why was Gaza not integrated into Egypt?

Posted by: Pelayo at May 4, 2008 10:06 PM

Pelayo,

Why even include James Earl Jones? What did he do to deserve it?

As for Gaza, Egypt ruled it from 1948 to 1967. But keeping it separate from Egypt today frees Cairo of any responsibility for conditions there and keeps the pressure on Israel. It also means the "refugees" would become Egyptians.

The one thing I have never understood is how a unified "Palestinian" state can be created that incorporates both Gaza and the West Bank. Geography gets in the way. It's called Israel.

Posted by: PMK at May 4, 2008 10:15 PM

"Why was Gaza not integrated into Egypt?

Posted by: Pelayo"

The Egyptians were smart enough not to take these vicious whinning Palestinian Muslims. For years Egypt and Syria and Jordan and Lebanon have dumped their undesirables into Gaza and they don't want them back.

Posted by: pulsar182 at May 4, 2008 10:20 PM

Israel should answer with an all-out attack against Hamas. They should strive to eliminate Hamas from the face of the earth. That is the only way to achieve any kind of peace with the Palestinians, which is not likely in any case, and impossible with Hamas in the picture.

Posted by: PersonOfTheBook at May 4, 2008 10:50 PM

>>Beware of Greeks bearing gifts and Muslims bearing peace! --David England

Exactly.

Cassandra warned the Trojans and they didn't listen. And here we are on JW, also Cassandra's, and true to form, no one's listening.

Posted by: darcy at May 4, 2008 11:03 PM

It is sad, that I am prepared to neither be shocked or awed by the inaction of Israel. The Head is feeble, the body strong. Here is a case where a head amputation might save the body. Dump Ole-Merde, and his brain trust, and then elect Dan Gillerman. Are there no manly men anymore in Israel?

Posted by: Jewel Atkins at May 4, 2008 11:28 PM

Sounds like a Nazi drill instructor....So, you don't like it, vvvvvvvvvvvell.....ve have ways to make you like it !!!!

Israel should counter attack with a final blow....
Giving them a truce on their terms is just giving them more time to get more strength...Blow them to hell..........

Posted by: RdP at May 5, 2008 12:23 AM

"The one thing I have never understood is how a unified "Palestinian" state can be created that incorporates both Gaza and the West Bank. Geography gets in the way. It's called Israel."
Posted by: PMK

I've wondered about that, too. Is there supposed to be a Polish Corridor like connection between the two parts? But, of course, you supplied the answer. It's Israel. Silly me for not thinking of that.

Posted by: Eastview at May 5, 2008 1:43 AM

Accept the truce, or else.

Or else what?

Or else you are going to wipe us all out!

Posted by: Dsinc at May 5, 2008 2:39 AM

When dealing with rats, always opt for the "else".

Posted by: Lebanese at May 5, 2008 10:54 AM

Looks like Israel will agree to the Hudna within the next few days.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1209627012903&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

NOt really a surprise considering Bush will be there soon enough, and of course the pressure for Israel to accept the hudna is no doubt immense.

Bush is even weaseling out of the pledge he made to Sharon back a few years ago where Sharon begged him for that piece of paper that gave Sharon the justification he needed to surrender Gaza. That pledge is now meaningless as Bush and his associates are looking for any means to get out of it. It was the statement Bush made about "recognizing realities on teh ground" in realizing that some Jewish communities in Judea/Samaria and in East Jerusalem can't be eliminated.

Well, Bush and his admin are working hard to get out of that weak statement of support that was given to Israel in the first place.

Posted by: Sneakyzionistcrusader at May 5, 2008 10:54 AM

Sneakyzionistcrusader wrote:

Looks like Israel will agree to the Hudna within the next few days.
...............................

Yes, from all I've heard, I think this is likely. Does this mean that Israel will get at least a short respite from Gazan violence?

Hell, no. The very nature of this terrorism allows for official deniability. I imagine that the rockets falling on Sderot, and the cross-border raids into Israel to try to kidnap Israeli soldiers, and the suicide bombings at border crossings, are likely to continue unabated.

Hamas will simply declare--as they often do now, anyway--that these are the acts of free-lancers, and they have nothing to do with them.

But this hudna will constrain Israel even more than now. Israel will be unable to go after terrorists in Gaza, lest they threaten "peace". Gaza will be able to act with near complete impunity against Israel.

While they're at it, Hamas will likely also call for the release of more Gazan terrorists from Israeli prisons as a show of "good faith" on Israel's part.

No good can come of this. But if Israel does not accept this "pacification", they will be accused of not being serious about peace.

Posted by: gravenimage at May 5, 2008 2:20 PM

Aunt Bea,
Actually, I think the word "disparate" fits your statement as well! Is in; "anything and everything to better his chances of political survival"!

Posted by: NamFrank at May 5, 2008 3:00 PM