January 16, 2009, 10:34 PM (GMT+02:00) DEBKAfile's sources reveal the outline of an evolving ceasefire accord, dismissed as farcical by a furious Israeli military command: Israel has promised the US and Egypt to start pulling its troops out of the Gaza Strip within days and, at some point, open the six border crossings. Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, defense minister Ehud Barak and foreign minister Tzipi Livni, the group running the Gaza war, have approved this arrangement and will put it before the security cabinet Saturday night, Jan. 17. DEBKAfile Special Report January 16, 2009, 10:35 PM (GMT+02:00) The Memorandum of Understanding - MOU - signed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni Friday, Jan. 16, provided a US commitment of "the resources, wherewithal and technology" necessary to "inhibit the ability of Hamas to rearm" – but no guarantees to stop the flow. At a joint news conference – the outgoing secretary of state's last at the State Department - Rice said: "This we see as part of a broader international effort on the information sharing on how to deal with weapons shipments." Gaza ceasefire: Israeli pledges to withdraw troops from Gaza, Hamas to keep shooting rockets
More...US-Israel arms smuggling memorandum signed Friday offers no US guarantees
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Friday, 16 January 2009
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