Israel eases up on West Bank checkpointsMove reflects growing confidence in Palestinian security forces but UN says Israeli restrictions as a whole more entrenched
Israel's military has eased some of its checkpoints in the occupied West Bank in recent weeks and agreed to allow Palestinian security forces more room to operate.
The moves reflect a growing Israeli confidence in the actions of the Palestinian forces, which have undergone months of US-led training, as well as US pressure for an improvement in conditions on the West Bank.
However, Israeli troops are still deployed across the West Bank and the UN, which has monitored the changes, said Israel's restrictions on Palestinian movement as a whole were becoming more entrenched.
Israeli military commanders met with senior Palestinian security officers in Bethlehem on Wednesday and agreed to let the Palestinians operate into the night in the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Qalqiliya, Bethlehem and Jericho. Until now the Palestinians have worked only during the day.
The Israeli military said it would continue to operate across the West Bank and still had "the responsibility for maintaining security". Under the US road map that remains the basis for peace talks, the Palestinians are committed to curbing militancy.
Some checkpoints have been eased, including one at the entrance to Nablus and others near Ramallah, Qalqiliya and Jericho.
The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report this week there were now 613 obstacles in the West Bank, including 68 permanently manned checkpoints – five fewer than a month ago. It said there were other restrictions on the Palestinians, including Israel's West Bank barrier, restricted roads, the permit regime and closed military zones and nature reserves and settlements.
Some checkpoints were no longer permanently staffed or had only ad hoc checks. However, the UN said: "Some of the measures implemented in the past year have contributed to a further entrenchment of the system of access restrictions."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/26/israel-west-bank-restrictions
Topic: Israel eases up on West Bank checkpoints (Read 479 times)