Rogue rockets fail to shatter Gaza ceasefire deal

The ceasefire between Israel and Gaza appears to be holding despite some morons sending rockets into Israel in the early hours of the new agreement. At times like this, one realises that many of the Palestinians firing these rockets are no more than street gangs who don't really come under anyone's direct authority.

However, Olmert has done the right thing and ignored this initial breach, going even further by promising that the ceasefire could lead to other developments.

"All of these things ultimately could lead to one thing - the opening of serious, real, open and direct negotiations between us so that we can move forward towards a comprehensive agreement," said Mr Olmert.

There have been no serious negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians since George Bush moved into the White House as Bush has always believed that Clinton's policy was wrong and that the Israelis should be allowed to use their military superiority to change the balance of power between the two protagonists.

To this end Bush always backed Ariel Sharon (who refused to enter any kind of talks with the Palestinians) even going so far as to label the old war criminal "a man of peace".

And, without impetus from Washington, no talks were ever going to take place. Indeed, this led to a breakdown in relations between Bush and his then Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Mr Powell echoed Arab demands for "the end of the occupation" of the West Bank and Gaza by Israel, for "the creation of a state called Palestine" and for "the end of settlement activity".

Mr Powell also stressed the importance of holding an international conference, planned for this summer, to discuss the options for peace and, in contrast with Mr Bush and Mr Sharon, to continue to work with the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.

"It's up to the Palestinian people to determine who their leader is, to determine who should head their government," Mr Powell said.

It's hard to remember that Arafat used to be the reason Bush and Co. used for their intransigence towards the creation of a state of Palestine. However, even when he died, they swiftly found another reason not to give the Palestinians what is rightfully theirs. The latest reason became the fact that the Palestinians democratically elected Hamas. Israel and the US and EU quickly imposed dreadful sanctions upon the Palestinian people for daring to elect a government that the west did not approve of.

The end result of this action was not the intended collapse of the Hamas government as much as the collapse of western influence, as we became exposed as hypocrites; demanding other nations accept the beneficence of democracy, yet punishing those who made democratic decisions that we found unpalatable.

So it's safe to say Bush has been a dreadful President when it comes to the Middle East conflict, and I would argue - post the Israeli-Hizbullah war - that Bush has actually made Israel less safe because of his attitude.

Certainly the myth that the IDF were a regional superpower unable to be challenged has been disposed of during last summer's conflict.

So, any hint of possible talks by Olmert is to be welcomed.

Militant groups still hold Gilad Shalit and the Israelis are still holding some $60 million in revenues that it should pass to the Palestinian Authority.

The situation in the Occupied Territories has become critical as a result of our appalling sanctions.

The economic effect has been to drive Gaza's 1.3 million people ever deeper into poverty. More than 160,000 civil servants, including doctors and teachers, in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank have not received their salaries since March.

Bush is due in Jordan this week and one has to wonder if Israel suddenly accepting a ceasefire is in any way related to his visit.

But, whatever the reasons for Olmert's change of heart, the ceasefire is to be welcomed and - hopefully - built upon. Bush has surely realised that the use of force, whilst bringing untold misery to the people of Palestine, has ultimately failed to bring Israel the security she seeks.

Olmert was elected to evacuate the settlements in the West Bank. If he can now bring himself to do this, and open talks with the Palestinians, an historic agreement is there for the taking.

Most of the planet have come to realise the importance of this conflict as it relates to the war on terror, and most of the planet - with the notable exception of the US - have come to view Israel's behaviour as unacceptable colonialism.

The world wants a state of Palestine. And the world wants the US/Israeli procrastination's and foot-dragging to end. Bush and his neo-con gang have done everything in their power to tilt the conflict towards the Israelis. They have succeeded only in making her more vulnerable.

It is time to talk. And the only people to talk to are the democratically elected representatives of the Palestinian people. Hamas.

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tag: Israel, Palestine, Olmert, Gaza, ceasefire