Turkey wants to mediate

Pyotr Lukimson, Israel. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

Radical Palestinian movement Hamas and Israel reached an agreement of ceasing fire, Al Arabia reported. However, disputes on time limits and stages of implementation of the ceasing fire regime remain. Hamas insists on immediate cancelation of the military operation, but Israel insists on two stages of peacemaking: at first ceasing fire, then lifting the blockade of Gaza which is the main demand of HAMAS.

According to other information, the operation against Hamas militants might shift to a ground phase in a day if militants don’t stop launching missiles at Israeli residential areas.

After the Turkish official critics of Israeli’s actions in Gaza, Ankara stated that it was ready to be a mediator in “bilateral” negotiations between Hamas and Israel. Istanbul is suggested as a place for talks. The main condition for beginning the talks is complete military actions by Israel in Gaza.

This address to Israel followed the request by Hamas government to Turkey to use its diplomatic channels. Hamas expressed hope that “Turkish political influence will help to cease fire.” Israel directly calls Turkey’s proposal unacceptable as it contradicts the Israeli aims of the current attacks on Gaza.

The air operation “Cloud Jet” began after hundred missiles of Kassam (flying distance is 7.5 km) and Hail had been launched at Israeli cities, towns, and villages, turning lives of their residents in hell. Such attacks are committed from the territory of Gaza for 10 years from time to time. A whole generation of children was raised in Israel, who live from one air alert to another and suffer from various psychological diseases.

This time Israel wants to stop them forever, at least that some third party would take responsibilities of a guarantor that Israel wouldn’t suffer from Gaza’s missile attacks. In this case Israel would immediately cancel its military operation against Gaza.

In 2010 the foreign minister of Israel Avigdor Lieberman proposed launching an international military contingent to Gaza, and the EU would take responsibilities for guarantying that Israel wouldn’t be attacked by Gaza. However, the EU rejected the proposal. At the moment Israel is negotiating with Egypt. But the situation in Egypt is so unstable that it would hardly be able to play the role, even if it would like to.

“We shouldn’t go on a leash of Turkey, but its suggestions should not be ignored too, as Ankara is one of the main players in our region. Anyway Egypt which approached to Turkey will take consultation of its government, playing the role of a mediator between Israel and Palestine,” the former general director of the Foreign Minister of Israel Eyal Ariel stated on November 18. By the end of that day Palestinians rejected proposals of Israel given to them by Egypt, and it became clear that Turkey is of high importance.

At the moment it is difficult to say whether the Turkish mediation will be successful or not. According to analysts, if Hamas continues mass attacks on Israel, it will provoke a ground operation in Gaza, preparing many traps for Israel in advance. Israel tries to avoid the operation considering military and political reasons.

Today the situation remains the same: the Israeli territory from Eilat to Tel Aviv suffers from mass attacks; Air Forces of Israel attacks Hamas’s facilities and try to destroy their leaders; both sides have many dead and injured people, not mentioning destroyed buildings. At the same time, Israel continues supplying Gaza with electricity, fuel, water, medicines, and food, for prevention of a humanitarian crisis.