A Daily Analysis
By Marc Schulman

June 17, 2008 Ceasefire With Hamas?

It looks like an agreement on a ceasefire is indeed about to be reached with Hamas in Gaza. It is multi-stage agreement. It will start with a mutual ceasefire, followed by a slow opening of the borders.Some believe the ceasefire will not hold very long.The argument in favor is thus... we can agree to an agreement we do not really want, while showing we are not standing in the way of a ceasefire. It's hard to find anyone who can provide a long-term rationale for entering into such an agreement, other than those who say that ceasefire have their own logic and thus maybe they will bring something positive. Intelligence sources warn that a ceasefire will not stop the smuggling of more armaments into Gaza.

I was not the only one upset with London and Kirschbaum for their overly easy interview with the authors of the Israel Lobby.Yesterday the duo interviewed Professor Yossi Shein of Tel Aviv University.Sheintried to clarify why Walt and Mersheimer's hypotheses are wrong and how their book is indeed both problematic and anti-Semitic. London and Kirschbaum did not, however, giveSheinenough time to rebut Walt and Mersheimer.