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| Kerry Claims Progress Toward Gaza Truce, but Hamas Leader Is Defiant | Kerry Claims Progress Toward Gaza Truce, but Hamas Leader Is Defiant |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| TEL AVIV — During a whirlwind round of diplomacy on Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry asserted that progress had been made on forging a cease-fire to halt the bitter fighting in Gaza between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants there led by Hamas. | |
| “We will continue to push for this cease-fire,” Mr. Kerry said. “We have in the last 24 hours made some progress in moving towards that goal.” | “We will continue to push for this cease-fire,” Mr. Kerry said. “We have in the last 24 hours made some progress in moving towards that goal.” |
| But even as Mr. Kerry pressed his case with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, a defiant note was struck by one figure whom the secretary of state has conspicuously not talked with: Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas. | But even as Mr. Kerry pressed his case with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, a defiant note was struck by one figure whom the secretary of state has conspicuously not talked with: Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas. |
| “Everyone wanted us to accept a cease-fire and then negotiate for our rights,” Mr. Meshal said at a news conference in Qatar, his home in exile, taking aim at the very approach Mr. Kerry has sought to nurture. “We reject this, and we reject it again today.” | “Everyone wanted us to accept a cease-fire and then negotiate for our rights,” Mr. Meshal said at a news conference in Qatar, his home in exile, taking aim at the very approach Mr. Kerry has sought to nurture. “We reject this, and we reject it again today.” |
| Mr. Kerry has emphasized that his immediate goal is to obtain a cease-fire, after 16 days of fighting that has killed nearly 700 Palestinians, 32 Israeli soldiers and three Israeli civilians. | Mr. Kerry has emphasized that his immediate goal is to obtain a cease-fire, after 16 days of fighting that has killed nearly 700 Palestinians, 32 Israeli soldiers and three Israeli civilians. |
| In comments after his meeting with Mr. Abbas in Ramallah and a meeting in Jerusalem with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, Mr. Kerry also stressed that he hoped to lay the ground for a “sustainable” way forward after an end to the fighting. | In comments after his meeting with Mr. Abbas in Ramallah and a meeting in Jerusalem with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, Mr. Kerry also stressed that he hoped to lay the ground for a “sustainable” way forward after an end to the fighting. |
| That seemed to be a way to assure the nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza that the United States was prepared to address some of their long-term economic and political grievances without making their solution a condition for a cease-fire and to similarly acknowledge Mr. Netanyahu’s argument that any lasting political settlement should also reduce the ability of Hamas and its affiliates to attack Israel. | That seemed to be a way to assure the nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza that the United States was prepared to address some of their long-term economic and political grievances without making their solution a condition for a cease-fire and to similarly acknowledge Mr. Netanyahu’s argument that any lasting political settlement should also reduce the ability of Hamas and its affiliates to attack Israel. |
| Mr. Kerry’s decision, however, to relegate many of these issues to a subsequent phase of the negotiations — after a cease-fire is established — also appeared to be an implicit recognition of the difficulties in resolving these issues. | Mr. Kerry’s decision, however, to relegate many of these issues to a subsequent phase of the negotiations — after a cease-fire is established — also appeared to be an implicit recognition of the difficulties in resolving these issues. |
| “What we’re trying to figure out is how we can get to the point where the violence can stop and these bigger key issues can be addressed over the longer term,” said a senior State Department official, who asked not to be identified in keeping with the agency’s protocol for briefing reporters. | “What we’re trying to figure out is how we can get to the point where the violence can stop and these bigger key issues can be addressed over the longer term,” said a senior State Department official, who asked not to be identified in keeping with the agency’s protocol for briefing reporters. |
| Israel’s position remained difficult. While the Israeli public has strongly supported the military’s attacks in Gaza to quell the thousands of rockets fired into Israeli territory, the government faced economic pressures on Wednesday to negotiate a halt to the war. | Israel’s position remained difficult. While the Israeli public has strongly supported the military’s attacks in Gaza to quell the thousands of rockets fired into Israeli territory, the government faced economic pressures on Wednesday to negotiate a halt to the war. |
| Because of fears of Palestinian rocket fire, the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington had extended a suspension of all United States flights to and from Israel. One rocket landed earlier in the week near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main gateway. The F.A.A. lifted the restrictions effective around 11:45 Wednesday night, but said in a statement that it would “continue to closely monitor the very fluid situation around Ben Gurion Airport and will take additional actions, as necessary.” | Because of fears of Palestinian rocket fire, the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington had extended a suspension of all United States flights to and from Israel. One rocket landed earlier in the week near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main gateway. The F.A.A. lifted the restrictions effective around 11:45 Wednesday night, but said in a statement that it would “continue to closely monitor the very fluid situation around Ben Gurion Airport and will take additional actions, as necessary.” |
| Mr. Kerry, whose United States Air Force plane was exempt from the F.A.A. directive, flew into the airport earlier on Wednesday. | Mr. Kerry, whose United States Air Force plane was exempt from the F.A.A. directive, flew into the airport earlier on Wednesday. |
| While Israel’s national carrier, El Al, added larger planes and more flights to its schedule that day to accommodate passengers stranded by cancellations, El Al was already bracing for tens of millions of dollars in losses from an enormous drop in tourist traffic this summer. | While Israel’s national carrier, El Al, added larger planes and more flights to its schedule that day to accommodate passengers stranded by cancellations, El Al was already bracing for tens of millions of dollars in losses from an enormous drop in tourist traffic this summer. |
| Israeli news reports indicated that only seven foreign carriers continued their flights on Wednesday. Calcalist, an Israeli business newspaper, estimated the hit to the tourism industry could reach $200 million. | Israeli news reports indicated that only seven foreign carriers continued their flights on Wednesday. Calcalist, an Israeli business newspaper, estimated the hit to the tourism industry could reach $200 million. |
| The fighting has exerted no significant impact yet on Israel’s vibrant stock market, and its currency, the shekel, has been stable throughout the latest upsurge in the conflict. | The fighting has exerted no significant impact yet on Israel’s vibrant stock market, and its currency, the shekel, has been stable throughout the latest upsurge in the conflict. |
| Still, some of Israel’s strongest supporters acknowledged that the suspension of the flights had been, as Hamas claimed, a “great victory” in its struggle with Israel. | Still, some of Israel’s strongest supporters acknowledged that the suspension of the flights had been, as Hamas claimed, a “great victory” in its struggle with Israel. |
| “I probably don’t agree with very many things Hamas says, but that is clearly true,” Michael R. Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, told CNN. Mr. Bloomberg, who flew to Israel on El Al to express his strong objection to the F.A.A. suspension, said he thought the agency’s officials had made a mistake. | “I probably don’t agree with very many things Hamas says, but that is clearly true,” Michael R. Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, told CNN. Mr. Bloomberg, who flew to Israel on El Al to express his strong objection to the F.A.A. suspension, said he thought the agency’s officials had made a mistake. |
| “They are well-meaning,” he told CNN. “It’s a great organization. They make airlines and airports safe in America, but not as safe as Ben Gurion and El-Al are.” | “They are well-meaning,” he told CNN. “It’s a great organization. They make airlines and airports safe in America, but not as safe as Ben Gurion and El-Al are.” |
| “And the fact that one rocket falls far away from this airport, a mile away,” he said, “doesn’t mean you should shut down air traffic into a country and paralyze the country.” | “And the fact that one rocket falls far away from this airport, a mile away,” he said, “doesn’t mean you should shut down air traffic into a country and paralyze the country.” |
| Despite the economic dislocation, stopping Hamas’s ability to infiltrate Israel through its network of tunnels — which the Israelis now say is far more developed than they had thought — remained their paramount concern. | Despite the economic dislocation, stopping Hamas’s ability to infiltrate Israel through its network of tunnels — which the Israelis now say is far more developed than they had thought — remained their paramount concern. |
| In a briefing for reporters, Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz, the spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, gave the impression that the army was in a rush to seal as many of the tunnels as it could before a cease-fire might be reached. “We continue to attack our targets, there are many left, many more tunnels to destroy,” General Almoz said. | In a briefing for reporters, Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz, the spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, gave the impression that the army was in a rush to seal as many of the tunnels as it could before a cease-fire might be reached. “We continue to attack our targets, there are many left, many more tunnels to destroy,” General Almoz said. |
| Yitzhak Aharonovich, the public security minister, also told Army Radio that in Israel’s view, it was vital to neutralize the tunnels. | Yitzhak Aharonovich, the public security minister, also told Army Radio that in Israel’s view, it was vital to neutralize the tunnels. |
| “We cannot go to a cease-fire without resolving the tunnels,” Mr. Aharonovich said. “We can have a cease-fire while dealing with the tunnels, but we cannot accept a situation where the tunnels are used by the terrorists as an entrance into Israel.” | “We cannot go to a cease-fire without resolving the tunnels,” Mr. Aharonovich said. “We can have a cease-fire while dealing with the tunnels, but we cannot accept a situation where the tunnels are used by the terrorists as an entrance into Israel.” |
| After his meeting in Ramallah, Mr. Kerry heaped praise on Mr. Abbas, whose influence among Palestinians has been increasingly eclipsed by Hamas as the Gaza conflict has intensified. | After his meeting in Ramallah, Mr. Kerry heaped praise on Mr. Abbas, whose influence among Palestinians has been increasingly eclipsed by Hamas as the Gaza conflict has intensified. |
| “Sometimes it is very satisfying to see the immediate impact of the violence, but it doesn’t take you to a solution,” Mr. Kerry said. “President Abbas understands the road to the solution. And that is what we are working for. “ | “Sometimes it is very satisfying to see the immediate impact of the violence, but it doesn’t take you to a solution,” Mr. Kerry said. “President Abbas understands the road to the solution. And that is what we are working for. “ |
| After his meeting in Israel, Mr. Kerry flew back to Cairo, which he has been using as his main hub for his current round of diplomacy, and consulted by phone with President Obama. | After his meeting in Israel, Mr. Kerry flew back to Cairo, which he has been using as his main hub for his current round of diplomacy, and consulted by phone with President Obama. |
| While Mr. Kerry had spoken by phone to his Qatari counterpart, he has yet to visit Qatar during his current diplomatic push. | While Mr. Kerry had spoken by phone to his Qatari counterpart, he has yet to visit Qatar during his current diplomatic push. |
| The willingness of Qatar, an important Arab ally of the United States, to provide financial support to Hamas — which both the United States and Israel classify as a terrorist organization — may emerge as an element of any cease-fire agreement. | The willingness of Qatar, an important Arab ally of the United States, to provide financial support to Hamas — which both the United States and Israel classify as a terrorist organization — may emerge as an element of any cease-fire agreement. |
| But Qatar also has a tense relationship with Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whose cease-fire proposal, Mr. Kerry says, has provided the framework for the current negotiations. | But Qatar also has a tense relationship with Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whose cease-fire proposal, Mr. Kerry says, has provided the framework for the current negotiations. |
| In Doha, Qatar’s capital, Mr. Meshal outlined his own demands. While Mr. Meshal said that Hamas would not “close the door” for a brief truce to evacuate the wounded and deliver humanitarian aid, he stressed a more lasting agreement would not come until some of the group’s demands were met. | In Doha, Qatar’s capital, Mr. Meshal outlined his own demands. While Mr. Meshal said that Hamas would not “close the door” for a brief truce to evacuate the wounded and deliver humanitarian aid, he stressed a more lasting agreement would not come until some of the group’s demands were met. |
| “We will not accept any initiative that does not lift the blockade on our people and that does not respect their sacrifices,” he said. | “We will not accept any initiative that does not lift the blockade on our people and that does not respect their sacrifices,” he said. |