The Latest on Israel-Gaza-Palestine (18 February)

Evening Update (7 p.m.): As the Israel-Hamas talks on Gaza stall, inevitably Egypt's push for Palestinian "reconciliation" --- if it had any chance of success --- collapses. The Egyptian state news agency MENA is reporting, "Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation talks between Palestinian groups have been delayed to allow for more consultations."

2:30 p.m. Now Here's A Coincidence. On the same day that headlines are made over Syrian President Bashir al-Assad's encouragement of dialogue with the US, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz features a story alleging that Syria has stepped up production of chemical weapons.

2:20 p.m. And That, For Now, Is That. Hamas has rejected Israel's precondition of a prisoner swap, including Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, for a Gaza settlement.



12:20 p.m. The Israeli daily Ma'ariv claims that chief negotiator Amos Gilad has criticised Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for linking an agreement on Gaza to a prisoner exchange involving soldier Gilad Shalit: "I don't understand what it is that they're trying to do. To insult the Egyptians? We've already insulted them. It's madness. It's simply madness. Egypt has remained almost our last ally here."

11:20 a.m. No Agreement. As we projected, the Israeli Cabinet has set the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit as a precondition for a settlement over Gaza. This now means that the arrangement of a prisoner swap has to be established for any agreement between Tel Aviv and Hamas.

8:20 a.m. An Initiative from Damascus. Syrian leader Bashir al-Assad, following the Gaza conflict and the advent of the Obama Administration, has set out his own vision of "engagement". He has eagerly welcomed the US as the "main arbiter" in the Middle East peace process, saying he expects the US to send an Ambassador to Syria soon.

We hope to analyse this in a separate entry later today. (cross-posted from Latest Alerts in US Foreign Policy thread)

8:15 a.m. A Qassam rocket has landed in southern Israel.

Morning Update (6:45 a.m. GMT; 8:45 a.m Israel/Palestine): I could almost cut-and-paste the update from yesterday. While movement is awaited from Tel Aviv today on the proposed Israel-Gaza cease-fire arrangements, Israeli planes have bombed several tunnels around Rafah as well as a Hamas post in Khan Younis. This is the standard retaliation for the firing of a mortar round into Israel on Tuesday night.

The Latest on Israel-Gaza-Palestine (10 February)

10 p.m. The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz is reporting that Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud and Avigdor Lieberman of Israeli-Beitenu have had a phone conversation about a possible coalition government.

9:40 p.m. A Qassam rocket has landed in the southern Negev in Israel.

8 p.m. Voting closes in Israeli election. First exit polls have Kadima (party of Tzipi Livni) at 30 seats; Likud (party of Benjamin Netanyahu) 28; "far-right" Israel-Beitenu (Avigdor Lieberman) 15. Labor (Ehud Barak) on course for worst performance ever.

As there are 120 seats in Knesset, there will have to be a coalition with at least 61 members to form a secure Government. That in turn means that even a Kadima-Likud coalition is not sure of a majority in the new parliament.

11:10 a.m. The New York Times has an article on the detention of student Philip Rizk by Egyptian authorities after his walk with friends to raise money for Gazans.

11 a.m. Hamas official Osama Hamdan says further manoeuvres for an agreement with Israel on Gaza will now depend on  the outcome of today's Israeli election: ""If [Likud leader Benjamin] Netanyahu wins, I don't think that the current government will conclude an agreement. If the current government wins, they could reach an agreement."

10:45 a.m. I'm Still Here. Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas, trying to assert his leadership as Hamas negotiates an agreement with Israel, has said he is ready to talk to Tel Aviv if "the new Israeli government a halt to new settlements".



Morning Update (9 a.m. GMT; 11 a.m. Israel/Palestine): The headline story is today's Israeli elections, which the media are now projecting as "too close to call" between the Likud Party of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Kadima Party of Tzipi Livni for the largest number of seats. The equally important --- indeed, more important --- issue will be the make-up of the inevitable coalition that has to be formed to govern Israel.

Meanwhile, former United Nations envoy Ian Martin will head a five-member panel investigating last month's Israeli attacks on UN facilities in Gaza.