planet earth looks blue

The Israeli military and Hamas are still technically under a cease-fire, despite yesterday’s outbreak of rockets and aerial bombing, leaving one Palestinian dead and three injured, as well as three Israeli’s with minor injuries.  Hamas militants fired ten rockets into Israel, which prodded Israel’s retaliation.  Hamas is still hoping for a possible year-long cease-fire, if not eighteen months.  Hamas’ leaders are asking for the Gazan borders to be opened so food, aid, and possibly even commerce can permeate its borders.  Israel is up for elections in a little over a week.  Once the Jewish leaders have settled, we’ll find out what direction the Middle East situation is going into.  

The still favored candidate is former leader Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud Party.  He is running with a nationalist, pro-war stance.  His two main competitors, Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni, are both moving more towards the center, speaking about promoting peace with the Palestinians.  Barak even suggested a tunnel to be built between Gaza and the West Bank through Israel, allowing Palestinians to travel between their two regions.  There are several extreme right-wing, anti-Arab parties in Israel as well, which may gain power in the Feb.10th elections.  

France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy and Egypt’s President Mubarak are still heading the peace efforts, hosting the US envoy George Mitchell as well as Mr. Abbas, the Palestinian President.  They are working on the long-term cease-fire, of which Hamas is supposed to commit to by the 5th of February.