Here we go again

An extract from ABC news :-

The United States has welcomed a Palestinian agreement to cease rocket fire from Gaza and Israel's promise to withdraw from Palestinian territory as a step toward peace.

I think the key word missing from this line is "again"

"We welcome the announcement and see this as a positive step forward," White House spokesman Alex Conant said.

One small step forward, a giant leap back when some rogue Palestinian doesn't abide by the agreement and kills an Israeli.

"We hope that it leads to less violence for the Israeli and Palestinian people."

See above point

Palestinian militant groups have agreed to halt all rocket fire from the Gaza Strip against Israel beginning from 3pm AEDT today, drawing an Israeli promise to halt military operations and withdraw from the Palestinian territory.

The deal was struck in a phone call between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

"President Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh agreed with all factions and resistance groups on calm, including the stopping of rocket fire, starting from 6am (local time) on Sunday," Mr Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, told a press conference in Gaza City

He said Mr Olmert "agreed that Israel will stop operations and begin the withdrawal from Gaza at the same time".

In Jerusalem, a spokeswoman for Mr Olmert said Mr Abbas told the Prime Minister that all the Palestinian factions were committed to the agreement.

"Abbas asked in response that Israel stop all military operations in the Gaza Strip and withdraw all the forces," the spokeswoman said.

"The Prime Minister told Abbas that Israel would respond favourably as Israel was operating in the Gaza Strip in response to the violence.

"With the end of violence, Israel would be happy to withdraw its troops," the spokeswoman added.

Palestinian militants have been firing rockets into southern Israel daily in what they term a response to Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the territory last year but resumed ground operations in June after militants from Gaza tunnelled across the border and seized an Israeli soldier, who is still being held.

Several militant groups met earlier in the day with Mr Haniyeh, a leader of the governing Hamas group, and agreed to halt attacks from Gaza if Israel ceased its military activities there.

Call me cynical but I've seen this movie before. Hundreds of times. And each remake has the same basic plot, though with a few variations:- Not all Palestinian factions cease fire, Israel remains and back to square one. Israel takes a little longer to withdrawl than Palestine likes, someone shoots an Israel, back to square one. Cease fire happens, Israel withdraws then some rogue faction does something to fuck it up, Israel responds with military force, Palestinian responds in kind, back to square one.

And each each time Amercia, England and other Western governments, including our own, hail this has a great victory, the first step towards stable peace in the middle east. A great triumph of diplomacy, despite the fact it has never suceeded. Of course they don't mention the countless failures, until it fails again.

What's that? Maybe it will work this time? Give them a chance? DOn't get me wrong, I would like there to be peace in the middle east. But I know that by mid next year, tops, rockets will be raining in Gaza yet again.