‘US looking to Egypt, Qatar for cease-fire help’

Washington is contacting Egypt and Qatar to help broker a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, former Israeli ambassador and negotiator Uri Savir claims Friday morning.

In a brief post on his Twitter account, Savir, who was the chief negotiator of the Oslo Accords, suggests that, following US President Barack Obama’s offer to help broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, the US would enlist the help of two traditional regional partners.

On Thursday, the White House conveyed in a statement that Obama told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “the United States remains prepared to facilitate a cessation of hostilities, including a return to the November 2012 cease-fire agreement.”

The deal referenced in the statement brought to an end the eight-day-long Operation Pillar of Defense against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, and was brokered by then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Egypt, under the leadership of Mohammed Morsi.

Under ousted president Hosni Mubarak, Egypt traditionally played a role in securing deals concerning the Gaza Strip. The US refuses to conduct direct talks with Hamas, which is recognized as a terror group under US law.

After Mubarak’s ouster, and given the political instability and complicated relationship between the US and the current Egyptian administration, some pundits believed that Cairo would prove unable to carry out its traditional role as Gaza broker.

Qatar also frequently serves as a go-between for US initiatives in the Middle East. Most recently, it served as guarantor and mediator in the negotiations with the Taliban for the release of US soldier Bowe Bergdahl.

— Rebecca Shimoni Stoil