The agreement that came into effect just a few hours is not an accord for peace but merely a ceasefire. It is unlikely to be permanent and further talks are unlikely to yield much for the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Israeli troops amassed at the Gaza Strip’s borders continue their build-up and they remain on alert ready to move a moments notice as Netanyahu warns “of possible additional military action if the cease-fire fails to lead to long-term security”. What Netanyahu’s idea of ‘long-term security’ might be is anyone’s guess. It may well be that all Netanyahu wants is a bit more breathing space to gather his forces, not just to invade the Gaza, but also to consolidate his grip on the West Bank in case the Palestinians there rise in support of the people in the Gaza if and when they are invaded. He might also be considering what the reaction of Hezbollah in Lebanon might be if the crisis escalated into a war between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
One can only hope that the tenuous peace that prevails for now will become something more permanent – but unfortunately, I don’t believe for one moment that that is what Netanyahu has in mind.
UPDATE
Despite the ceasefire agreement specifically saying; “Israel shall stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip land sea and air, including incursions and targeting of individuals…”, Israeli drones are still flying over the Gaza Strip.
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