With international condemnation and pressure upon Israel for defending itself against Hamas terrorists, it appears now that Israel will end its Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, having achieved its goals, says Reuters headlines. Hamas no doubt has already started regrouping and making its plans to strengthen the severe damage the Israelis inflicted upon them in Gaza. Hamas and the Middle Eastern terror groups originating from Iran, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon and elsewhere are determined to erase Israel from the map; they are at a perpetual state of war with anyone who believes differently from them. Christians know that there will never be peace in Israel with its arab neighboring enemies until Jesus Christ Himself comes back to end the fighting.
Meanwhile, Haaretz is reporting the United States of America have a large role to play under Obama's eye in keeping weapons out of the hands of Hamas and Israel's enemies, according to an agreement made Friday between the United States and Israel with Condi Rice that is binding on President elect Obama and the new selected Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It remains to be seen if it will be followed through on. I have my doubts.
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The United States and Israel signed an agreement on Friday aimed at stopping the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.
The deal includes measures meant to fight arms smuggling from Iran to Gaza, with the policing to take place throughout the route by which the arms reach Gaza, including patrols of the Persian Gulf, Sudan and neighboring states.
The two-and-a-half page document outlines a framework under which the United States will provide military and intelligence assets, including detection and surveillance equipment, as well as logistical help and training to Israel, Egypt and other nations in the region. The equipment and training would be used for monitoring Gaza's land and sea borders.
Although signed by the Bush administration, the agreement is binding on the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama and Rice and State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said both Obama and Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton had been briefed on the details. More here.
How did all those weapons that were smuggled from Egypt into Gaza via tunnel systems get by the Egyptians in in the first place? It kinda looks like they are a part of the problem and not the solution. This fiasco makes me want to go hmm... and from the sounds of the following, it doesn't appear that Egypt is sincere about peace with Israel even though Egypt sought and demanded a cease fire, Egypt is now claiming it is not bound by the U.S.-Israeli Agreement on arms smuggling, according to this Jerusalem Post story. Egypt appears to be talking out of both sides of its mouth.
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Egyptian FM: Cairo not bound by US-Israel agreement on arms smuggling
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Saturday his country was not bound by a
US-Israel agreement against Hamas arms smuggling.
The US and Israel can "do what they wish with regard to the sea or any other country in Africa, but when it comes to Egyptian land, we are not bound by anything except the safety and national security of the Egyptian people and Egypt's ability to protect its borders," Aboul Gheit told reporters.
He also denied any weapons were smuggled into Gaza from Egypt, saying they are all transported to the territory by sea.
The document, signed in Washington on Friday, outlines a framework under which the US will provide military and intelligence assets, including detection and surveillance equipment, as well as logistical help and training to Israel, Egypt and other nations in the region. The equipment and training would be used for monitoring Gaza's land and sea borders
Tagas: Gaza Cease Fire, Hamas, Operation Cast Lead, Egypt, Arms Smuggling, Israel
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