IN OTHER WORDS
Way out:
We agree that Israel had to defend itself against Hamas’s rocket attacks. But we fear the assault on Gaza has passed the point of diminishing returns. It is time for a cease-fire with Hamas and a return to the peace negotiations that are the only real hope for guaranteeing Israel’s long-term security. We are encouraged that a cease-fire finally seems to be gaining traction. Although not much detail is known, reports have focused on an Egyptian proposal for a phased-in truce.
As part of a cease-fire deal, Israel is right to demand a permanent halt to Hamas’s rocket fire. Israel is also right not to rely on Hamas’s promises. Hamas used the last cease-fire to restock its arsenal with weapons ferried in through tunnels dug under the Egypt-Gaza border. The best protection would be to place monitors on the Egypt-Gaza border to stop the smuggling that is Hamas’s lifeline.
Barack Obama says he will work for a peace deal from Day 1. We hope Israel picks a new leader in elections next month who is
truly committed to a two-state solution. With the support of the new American president, he or she must make an early down payment on peace by ending settlement construction, cooperating seriously to improve the lives of all Palestinians in the West Bank and in Gaza. — International Herald Tribune