Israeli leader recalls team from cease-fire talks

August 19, 2014 at 11:21 a.m.

by The Associated Press

Smoke rises after an Israeli strike hit Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014. The Israeli military said it carried out a series of airstrikes Tuesday across the Gaza Strip in response to renewed rocket fire, a burst of violence that broke a temporary cease-fire and endangered negotiations in Egypt over ending the month long war between Israel and Hamas. The fighting occurred some eight hours before a temporary truce was set to expire.
Smoke rises after an Israeli strike hit Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014. The Israeli military said it carried out a series of airstrikes Tuesday across the Gaza Strip in response to renewed rocket fire, a burst of violence that broke a temporary cease-fire and endangered negotiations in Egypt over ending the month long war between Israel and Hamas. The fighting occurred some eight hours before a temporary truce was set to expire.

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered negotiators at cease-fire talks to return home from Cairo after rocket fire by Palestinian militants, an Israeli official said.

The Israeli move, coupled with the outbreak of violence, threw Egyptian efforts to arrange a long-term cease-fire into jeopardy.

The official said the Egyptian-hosted talks with Hamas militants are based on the “premise” that there will be no violence.

“They are breaking the cease-fire. They are breaking the premise of the talks,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to journalists.

Egypt has been hosting indirect talks meant to end a month-long war. The talks face a midnight deadline. Palestinian militants fired two barrages of rockets Tuesday, sparking Israeli airstrikes in Gaza in retaliation.

Read Wednesday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.


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