HAMAS NOT AT THE TABLE, BUT IT COULD RUIN THE PARTY

A few hours after the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington on Tuesday morning, a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip and landed in a field in southern Israel.

Although the explosion caused no casualties or damage, it signals a greater danger on the horizon. approve the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners. In doing so, the government met one of the PA’s pre-conditions for the negotiations. Following that move, the chief negotiators from both sides flew to Washington for the launch.

The next round of talks will take place “in two weeks” according to Mr Kerry,

The past eight months have been one of the calmest periods around Gaza in over a decade. But that may be about to change now as Hamas is currently is facing a major crisis.

The coup against President Morsi has not only deprived the movement of its Muslim Brotherhood ally in Cairo, but also unleashed a major anti-Hamas offensive by Egypt’s in either Jerusalem or Ramallah. The timing is crucial because Israel is still responding to the recent decision by the European Union to issue new guidelines stating that EU-Israel co-operation agreements apply only to Israeli groups within the Green Line.

Israel is also trying to delay the label- military. Last year, Hamas broke with Iran and Hizbollah — but now finds itself isolated. In addition, the Hamas leadership is split, with hardliners saying it was a mistake to break away from the Iranian axis.

If peace talks intensify, Hamas will begin to feel increasingly marginalised and tempted to unleash more rockets. ling of settlement products in the EU. Israeli officials expressed the hope that the EU would wait with any policy changes while talks were ongoing.

One reason for the haste is to prevent the Palestinians from seeking further unilateral recognition of an independent state at the UN General Assembly