Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday said that his country would stop the ongoing assault in the Gaza Strip if anti-Israel attacks from and arms smuggling into the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave come to an end.
"We sent in the army to defend the civilian population. There was no other way... I want to make it clear that we are not seeking a prolonged conflict," local news service Ynet quoted Olmert as telling a group of southern residents.
"We will hold our fire under two conditions: one is an end to the arms smuggling from Sinai into Gaza, and the other is the cessation of all terror activity, not just the rocket fire," he added.
Earlier in the day, Olmert rejected an European Union request for a 48-hour ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, stressing to visiting EU foreign ministers that any agreement must force Hamas to end its incessant rocket attacks on Israel and prevent the Islamist group from rearming and rebuilding.
In another defiant gesture, Olmert on Monday turned down a similar call by visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying that "the results of the operation must be... that Hamas must not only stop firing but must no longer be able to fire."
With international pressure gathering steam, signs are emerging that the Jewish state is seeking a political exit out of the warfare, which has seen over 550 people killed and over 2,600 others injured on the Palestinian side and nine killed on the Israeli side.
As Olmert told Sarkozy that the operation is not aimed to eliminate Hamas, many analysts have said that Israel's ultimate goal is to reach a lasting ceasefire on more favorable conditions.
While Israel heads off the EU efforts, it is reportedly garnering support for an initiative proposed by the United States, its staunch ally, which is based on Israel's three main demands: an end to attacks from Gaza, international supervision of any truce and a halt to Hamas rearming.
Source:Xinhua
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