In response to the Gaza cease-fire, Middle East Expert Daniel Levy of the Prospects for Peace Blog, offers "Ten Comments on the Gaza Cease-Fire and What Next". Daniel Levy is a senior fellow and director of New America Foundation/Century Foundation Middle East Initiative. During the Barak Government, he worked in the Prime Minister's Office as special adviser and head of the Jerusalem Affairs unit under Minister Haim Ramon. From March 2000 to March 2001, he worked as senior policy adviser to former Israeli Minister of Justice, Yossi Beilin, where he was responsible for coordinating policy on various issues including peace negotiations, civil and human rights, and the Palestinian minority in Israel.

"Ten Comments on the Gaza Cease-Fire and What Next" appears on Daniel Levy's Prospects for Peace Blog, and highlighted here are some of his comments on the cease-fire:

"Reports are emerging from the region that the long awaited truce effort mediated by Egypt between Israel and Hamas (representing all the Palestinian factions in Gaza) is reaching closure. . ."

"The next 24-48 hours will be crucial and tense, and will determine whether the cease-fire even begins let alone holds. . ."

"Any cease-fire will include a package that extends beyond the basic cessation of hostilities. The package will include: (a) the easing of the closure on the Gaza Strip thus allowing not only essential supplies to enter Gaza but also materials that allow the Gazan economy to gradually return to some kind of normality; (b) greater efforts to prevent weapons from entering the Gaza Strip from Egypt for use against Israel; (c) progress on the prisoner exchange deal for the release of Gilad Shalit, the IDF soldier who next week will mark two years of being held in Gaza. . ."

"The most obvious deal breaker would be for a relatively minor infraction such as a rogue rocket attack or pinpoint Israeli mission to usher in a cycle of counter-response and therefore escalation. . ."

"Let there be no doubt that this is an Egyptian mediated deal between Israel and Hamas. . ."

"This much is clear: the U.S. has been noticeably absent from all the major recent diplomatic developments in the region-the Qatari brokered Lebanon deal, the Turkish sponsored Israeli-Syrian proximity talks and now this Egyptian mediated cease-fire. Secretary Rice was in Lebanon yesterday and did welcome the new developments within that country, perhaps suggesting that the State Department at least is taking a more realist approach and is happy to see others pursue diplomatic solutions that are opposed by conflicting elements within the U.S. administration, but that can be welcomed by the Secretary of State after the fact as fait accomplis. . ."

Further information. . .

Daniel Levy's full bio: http://www.newamerica.net/people/daniel_levy

The Prospect for Peace Blog: http://www.prospectsforpeace.com/

The Middle East Policy Initiative (activities, analysis, events and press): http://www.newamerica.net/programs/american_strategy/middle_east_initiative