Gaza: Olmert Rejected Hamas Overtures To Avert War

The Observer of London reveals today that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (pictured) rejected a Hamas approach for secret talks before the Gaza War in December.

The go-between for Hamas' messages to Tel Aviv from 2006 to 2008 was Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin, who contacted senior Israeli officials and communicated with Prime Minister via a member of Olmert's family. Hamas said it was prepared to discuss not only conditions for an extended cease-fire and opening of border crossings but also the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Baskin said he was involved in three attempts to establish talks since Shalit's capture in 2006. Olmert's office rejected the first approach immediately, saying it was not prepared to negotiate with terrorists. Hamas blocked the second, rejecting any discussion of Shalit that was not linked to an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza.

And the third time? Baskin was told by the Olmert family member that he would "need to find another messenger". In Baskin's view, "At this point war had already been decided on."