The Islamist Hamas organization cancelled the weekly border riots today for the third consecutive week.
The announcement came in spite of the significance of today’s date, marking the 72nd anniversary of the passage of Resolution 181by the United Nations General Assembly, approving the partitioning of then-Mandatory Palestine at the end of the British rule. The 1947 plan was accepted by the Jewish Agency for Palestine (representing the Jewish community), while Arab leaders and governments vehemently rejected land-sharing options with the Jews.
The U.N. Partition Plan paved the ultimate establishment of the Jewish State; rapidly followed by Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, and chastening defeat of the local Arab militias fighting alongside the armies of Egypt, Transjordan, Iraq and Syria.
Hamas leaders in Gaza said the decision to once again cancel the weekly border protests was made after an evaluation of the security situation, which they defined as “sensitive.” One official insisted in a written communication with TV7 that the Hamas-rulers ‘do not want to give Israel an opportunity to harm the Palestinian demonstrators.’
Several other TV7 sources described the official Hamas position as ‘completely detached from reality.’
An Egyptian official explained that progress is made in ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Jihadist-organizations in Gaza. The aim of the covert talks is to secure a long-lasting truce to effectively end hostilities on Israel’s southern front for an extended although undefined period of time.
The Hamas announcement to cancel today’s border demonstration was issued soon after Israeli authorities extended the permitted fishing zone for small boats off Gaza’s coast to 15 nautical miles. The measure indicates a shift in policy, as in recent months only trawlers have been permitted to sail such a distance from shore out of concern larger vessels could be used to smuggle arms into the Islamist-infested territory.
Qatar, Egypt and the U.N. Envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov have actively been involved as mediators between Israel and Hamas.