Ephraim HalevyRobert Rosenberg reports this interesting Israeli television interview with a former spymaster regarding what Israel’s position toward Hamas should be:
There are cracks in the Israeli establishment regarding how to deal with Hamas — former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy, for example, is arguing that Israel should judge Hamas by its deeds and not its rhetoric, and notes that so far, Hamas has indeed kept a ceasefire against Israel that has lasted more than a year.
Speaking to Channel One last night, he pointed out that it is mistaken to consider Hamas and even Hizbollah as part of the al Qaida network, since they are very territorial in outlook. Indeed, Hamas explicitly rejected expressions of support from bin Ladin, while Hizbollah, he says, appears on its way to being disarmed by political forces in Lebanon, which is going through a democratization process. Not that they are not implacable enemies, but ‘in the Middle East,’ said the man who served five Israeli prime ministers in the leading intelligence role, ‘the evil can become saints and the saints can become evil.’ In other words, he explained, ‘noting is permanent.’
Haaretz also publishes an AP story which characterizes Halevy as saying:
Israel should try to negotiate a long-term truce with Hamas…
“I think that now is not the right time for a permanent status agreement since it’s not possible because of the great hatred between the sides,” Halevy said.
“But if Hamas wants … a long-term armistice, there is a meeting between the (desire of) the two sides.”
Such an understanding could be the basis for future negotiations on interim borders between the two entities, Halevy said.
Just as in 1972, when it was illegal for Israelis to speak or negotiate with the PLO, I demonstrated in Jerusalem on behalf of just such an eventuality–so I predict that in a matter of months, perhaps a year, an Israeli government will be negotiating with Hamas. It’s not a question of if, but when.
I expect that under-the-table negotiations are taking place right now.
I hope so, anyway.
I do too. It would be criminal (though not surprising given the history of missed opportunties) if there weren’t negotiations going on.
I pray G-od not only for peace – or at least for the searching of some reals paths to definite peace around Israel and its neighboors – but also for a coming back of Israeli politics to the ideals of social justice that were part of the old zionist ideological core. it is really sad to see how under the monopoly of war with or against the Palestinians along with security matters, life in Israel has become unbearable to at least one third of the citizenship. also, it is a complete same against the moral principles stated in the Torah or simply just in the way of the Jewish being the fact that Israel has increased its ´apartheid´ politics by keeping away Palestinians from their work sources inside Israel while at the same time hundreds, if not thousands, of private companies are bringing cheap labourers from Thailand, Romania, Poland, Philipines, etc… that constitute an irregular population highly discriminated just for being both foreigners and poor. it is not only time for peace, but for the recovering of those moral status that made Israel “the light among nations”. without it, it doesn´t worth to keep ourselves supporting a country like any other else. if so, let´s finally agree with those who will prefer to wait till the Messiah comes…
tzedaka, tzedaja tirdof…