Gaza Ceasefire in Jeopardy as Six Palestinians are Shot

Israeli troops yesterday shot dead six Palestinians in two separate incidents, as evidence emerged that an increasingly fragile ceasefire between armed groups loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement and Israel appeared to be in danger of breaking down.

The shootings, the most serious violence in months, came a day before today's first anniversary of the outbreak of Israel's war against Gaza in which almost 1,400 Palestinians died – and as allegations have emerged from Israeli human rights campaigners who opposed the war that they are facing concerted attempts to silence them.'

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Russian Expert Calls For 'Stick' Approach Toward Israel

Differences between the Israeli and the Palestinians are too sharp to be settled by the two parties without "serious pressure" from the international community, a Russian political analyst said on Tuesday.

Georgy Mirsky from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International Relations said strict measures should be applied toward Israel as all efforts taken so far by the international community to overcome the deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian relations have proven useless.

"The Israelis will do nothing themselves. Serious pressure is needed," the expert said, adding a "stick" should be applied toward Israel because the "carrot" approach has run its course.'

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