Egyptian ceasefire proposal leaves Hamas cornered
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3180308/posts
Either the Islamists accept near-humiliating terms, or they risk isolation and a stepped-up Israeli military assault
[O]ne thing is certain: This is the darkest hour for the Hamas leadership in Gaza and abroad
If they accept the Egyptian proposal, they will be perceived as having been heavily defeated in the latest round of conflict with Israel; a defeat that is close to a humiliation.
That’s because the conditions in the Egyptian proposal do not include any of the demands that Hamas has been repeating day and night in the last few days. As reported in the Egyptian media, there is no mention in the proposal of Hamas’s oft-repeated demand for the release of the dozens of its operatives, freed in the 2011 Shalit deal, who were rearrested in recent weeks by Israeli forces in the West Bank in the wake of the murders of the three Israeli teenagers. There is also no concrete commitment regarding the opening of the Rafah border crossing or the payments of the salaries of Hamas’s 40,000 clerks in Gaza. And there is no mention whatsoever of the situation in the West Bank. All these demands were raised by the Hamas military wing two days after Israel began Operation Protective Edge, and repeated interminably ever since.
Yes, there is some language providing for the opening of the border crossings, and an easing of movement of people and goods via those crossings as permitted by the security situation. But that language is almost a direct repetition of the November 2012 ceasefire terms that brought Operation Pillar of Defense to a close. Time and again, Hamas’s leaders have been stressing in recent days that “there will be no return to the 2012 ceasefire terms.”
Nonsense. Palestinians declare victory after every defeat. The Israelis watch from the sky as they whoop it up in enormous parades, throwing candy and shooting their guns in the air. The Israelis hold their fire during these pathetic performances.
The international MSM reports it as a "he-said she-said" situation.
"Palestinian feelings are running high as they celebrate what they believe to be another great victory against the Little Satan. Regardless of which side you believe in this ongoing test of wills, everyone can agree that it's good to have an end to the fighting. Now back to you, Frank."
The Egyptian elite know that Israel is good for tourism. Hamas...not so much.