Cease-fire

November 21, 2012 (WABC) -- Deja vu all over again, to quote Yogi Berra. We have all been here before of course, but will it be different this time? Will this ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, fashioned in part by Egypt and the U.S., stand, this time?

Oh, if only it could. A tenuous ceasefire. But a ceasefire nonetheless.

Regardless, the 8-day battle has been a game changer in the generations-old conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Hamas has clearly shown that it can and will launch rockets that will reach Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Israel has just as clearly shown that it's anti-rocket hardware, thanks to U.S. funding, can block incoming from Gaza. And Egypt has shown that it wants to remain fully in the middle between the two warring sides.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton made sure to give all credit for this ceasefire to Egypt, but it's hardly coincidental that she arrived less than 24 hours before a deal was actually hammered out. Also of note: Pres. Obama, in his annual pardoning of the turkeys, said nothing - NOTHING - about the ceasefire.

More than a little surprising. I'm just sayin'.

But the main theme is that, hopefully, the killings will stop. At least for now. The death toll: More than 140 Palestinians, 5 Israelis  and hundreds wounded.

Our N.J. Burkett is the only local TV reporter from our area in Israel. He'll have the latest, tonight at 11.

Also at 11, in the spirit of being thankful there's a ceasefire in the Middle East, we'll have the latest on the holiday preps for tomorrow, including Jeff Pegues at the big balloon blowup for the parade.

We're also following developments in the murders of three store keepers in Brooklyn. Police have arrested a suspect. We're told by sources that the gun he had matches the bullet used in at least one of the murders. Matt Kozar is on the story tonight.

We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Meteorologist Lee Goldberg's holiday AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers with the night's sports.

I hope you can join Sade Baderinwa and me, tonight at 11.

Because of the holiday, this column will be dark on Thursday and Friday (although I'll be working Thanksgiving day and night). Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

BILL RITTER

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