An agreement on a cease-fire with Israel is near, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said yesterday.

But Haniyeh announced yesterday that Hamas has already succeeded in getting Israel to separate the truce talks from a deal to free kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.

“The process of arriving at a cease-fire is close to conclusion,” he said, speaking to a gathering in Gaza.

“The truce must be mutual,” he added, stressing that Hamas continues to insist that any such deal include the reopening of the border crossings into the Gaza Strip. “It will begin in Gaza, and then spread to the West Bank.

Wait do you mean that if you talk with the enemy that a solution could be found to a generation of war?  Now there is a concept that should be employed by the US—Wait!–is there not someone running who is saying this is the way to peace?  Just thinking.