WarSclerotic

Israeli official: Talks with Hamas will not resume any time soon, Israel Hayom, Mati Tuchfeld, Daniel Siryoti, Gideon Allon, Lilach Shoval and Yoni Hirsch, August 21, 2014

U.S. “very concerned” by renewed fighting in Gaza Strip • State Department calls for immediate end to rocket fire, return to cease-fire talks • Hamas blames Israel for deadlock • Fatah official: Qatar threatened to cut off Hamas if it agrees to truce.

An Israeli Air Force strike on the Gaza Strip, Wednesday | Photo credit: Albert Sadikov, JINI

The Cairo cease-fire talks with Hamas will not resume at this time, an Israeli official said Wednesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli delegation to Egypt to return to Jerusalem following the collapse of the truce on Tuesday and Hamas’ renewed rocket fire.

Cairo’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the Egyptian-brokered talks had been suspended and that the Palestinian delegation had left Cairo as well.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday, as well as with the Turkish and Qatari foreign ministers, and expressed the White House’s “deep concern” over the renewed hostilities.

State Department Deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters Wednesday, “We remain very concerned about developments in Gaza, condemn the renewed rocket fire, and as we have said, Israel has the right to defend itself against such attacks.

“We call for an immediate end to rocket fire and hostilities, and a return to cease-fire talks. We hope that the parties can reach an agreement — as we’ve said, ideally on a sustainable cease-fire, but if not, then agree to an extension.”

Lieberman said Wednesday that “when seriously discussing the security of Israeli citizens we have to understand that there is no other option except launching a decisive Israeli move meant to defeat Hamas.”

Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On criticized the foreign minister, saying, “Lieberman has been peddling the illusion of Hamas’ defeat for years, but after a month of killing and devastation in Gaza, the residents of the south have once more found themselves under rocket fire. It doesn’t look as if this operation has changed anything, and I doubt any military operation can change things.”

A senior Fatah official was quoted Wednesday by the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat as saying that the negotiations deadlocked following a threat by Qatar to expel Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal (who has been living in Doha) and cut off its financial support of Hamas, if Mashaal agreed to the Egyptian cease-fire initiative.

Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq, who participated in the Cairo talks, blamed Israel for the talks’ collapse, but said that there was still “a slim chance” of renewing the negotiations.

Azzam al-Ahmad, the lead Palestinian negotiator and a senior Fatah member, also blamed Israel for the deadlock in the negotiations. He said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had left for Qatar in a bid to convince Mashaal to resume the truce negotiations with Israel.

The Israeli Air Force has struck over 110 targets in the Gaza Strip since the fighting resumed. The military has recalled up 2,000 reservists, who were recently released, ahead of a potential ground incursion. According to military sources, the military has presented the cabinet with plans for a ground operation, and is now waiting its approval.

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