The current administration is leaning towards taking a sterner approach to the eventuality of renewed rocket attacks into southern Israel – targeting senior Hamas leaders in Gaza in pinpoint surgical strikes. The targeted assassinations were used in the past and many feel it is the most appropriate and perhaps effective means to halt renewed rocket fire into civilian population centers.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu conferred with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gabi Ashkenazi, ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) Director Yuval Diskin and Mossad Intelligence Agency Director Meir Dagan ahead of Wednesday’s scheduled arrival of Chief of Egyptian Intelligence General Omar Suleiman. The talks focused on possibly renewing Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas.

Barak remains of the opinion that Egypt’s role is crucial towards a long-term open-ended ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. Former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni opposed to a deal with Hamas but Barak was adamant, believing a deal worked by the Egyptians is the only key to a ceasefire with Hamas.

Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon will confer with the prime minister as well, presenting his case vis-à-vis a ceasefire with Hamas but what has already been decided is the current administration is not putting forward preconditions towards a resumption of talks with Hamas, not even a demand that Hamas recognize Israel’s right to exist prior to resuming talks.

Nevertheless, Hamas will have to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state to move forward on a diplomatic tract. This is crucial regarding Israel’s refusal to comply with PA (Palestinian Authority) demands for a so-called Palestinian right of return.

PA officials in Ramallah have already signaled this is unacceptable, seemingly backed by the new US administration, prompting the Prime Minister’s Office to ‘clarify’ the declaration is not a prerequisite to talks, but only to moving forward on the diplomatic front towards a long-term agreement.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)