The Palestinian triangle offense continues apace in Gaza. They have gone to their usual Plan B when they get caught at it -- they declare that one of the three factions has agreed to cease attacking Israel, and expect the Israelis and the rest of the world to celebrate it. Today, that comes in the form of a statement assuring observers that Islamic Jihad has agreed not to shoot rockets into Israel, but that wasn't what started the Israeli response that killed several IJ leaders this past week:

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have agreed to halt rocket attacks on Israel, Palestinian Interior Ministry officials said Sunday.

The halt in rocket fire comes after days of airstrikes and artillery fire by the Israeli army aimed at the Islamic Jihad militant group. Palestinian officials said the declaration was expected to bring an end to the Israeli attacks.

The Interior Ministry officials spoke on condition of anonymity, pending the release of an official statement later in the day. Palestinian factions, including the militant groups, were scheduled to meet Sunday night.

Earlier Sunday, Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz vowed to wage war on Islamic Jihad until its capabilities are wiped out.

The suicide bombing in Israel that killed five in Hadera started the Israeli offensive against IJ, and they have the right idea in ensuring that they do enough damage to IJ and the territory that harbors them to keep them from trying it again soon. The Palestinians offer nothing more than the same tired rhetoric of truces and cease-fires that it either cannot or will not guarantee. They want the cease-fires to be unilateral -- that Israel stop responding to attacks from their proxy partners in terror.

The time has long passed for the West to insist that the Palestinian Authority cease this useless prattle, and either take control of the territory or find itself disqualified from any further recognition as a partner for peace. When the Palestinians tire of war, they will elect people who want peace. If they want a genocidal conflict -- and their continuing support of Hamas and Fatah indicates that they do -- they should get it and see which end of such policies they receive as a result. Until the Palestinians want peace instead of total war, all of this negotiation is clearly a waste of time and effort.

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Captain Ed says it all: The Palestinian triangle offense continues apace in Gaza. They have gone to their usual Plan B when they get caught at it — they declare that one of the three factions has agreed to cease attacking Israel, and expect the I... [Read More]

Tracked on October 30, 2005 1:34 PM