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A Lasting Solution Is Elusive

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The Associated Press

Published: January 19, 2009

CAIRO, Egypt - The hard part is still to come.

Almost every significant issue between Hamas and Israel remains unresolved despite a unilateral cease-fire by Israel that went into effect before dawn Sunday in Gaza and Hamas' later announcement that it would halt fighting for one week.
Hamas says it will hold its fire for one week. What happens after that?
World leaders are scrambling to put together a longer-term deal to keep the peace. The key issues are how to address Israel's main demand that Hamas not shoot rockets at southern Israel, and Hamas' key requirement that Israel and Egypt allow Gaza's borders to reopen.

To meet Israel's demand, mediators must figure out how to stop weapons smuggling into Gaza from Egypt, and thus prevent Hamas from gaining access to rockets.

To keep Hamas from resuming rocket attacks, the mediators also must devise a way to monitor the crossings into Gaza that is acceptable to all sides - so they can reopen and ease Gaza's humanitarian crisis.

Who is most likely to run and monitor the border crossings, if they reopen?

Almost all sides agree that some monitors are needed at Gaza's border crossings before they can reopen to ensure no smuggling or militant entry. European Union monitors helped with this task in the past.

Hamas, however, insists that because it won Palestinian elections in 2006, it must have a role governing Gaza and thus should have a role monitoring the crossings. Hamas' rival, the more moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has bitterly fought such a role for Hamas.

Will Israel's army in Gaza stay or leave?
Hamas is saying that Israel's army must leave during the one-week cease-fire, or fighting might resume.

Israel's prime minister also says Israel does not want to reoccupy Gaza long-term, and its troops are targets for violence while in Gaza. It began withdrawing troops Sunday, shortly after Hamas announced the one-week cease-fire.

How does the United States play into this as it prepares to inaugurate a new president Tuesday?

President-elect Barack Obama has said his team of advisers will dive into Mideast peace issues on Day One.

Yet some in the Mideast hope the Gaza crisis gives Obama's team an avenue to restart broader Mideast peace efforts because crises have in the past pushed Mideast players toward negotiations.

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