11 prominent authors and intellectuals announced Sunday that they would publicly call upon the government to reach an agreement with the Palestinians and to negotiate with Hamas. The petition, which will be made public Monday, calls upon Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to make every possible effort to arrive at an agreement with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the upcoming middle East peace summit in November.
The intellectuals will also demand that Hamas be engaged in talks in order to bring about a ceasefire with the organization. "In the past Israel has negotiated with its worst enemies," the petition reads. "And now, the correct course of action is to negotiate with Hamas in an effort to foment a general cease fire that will prevent further suffering on both sides."