Israel removes roadblocks across the West Bank
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff Haaretz Last update - 03:57 24/06/2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1095231.html

Recent weeks have seen a dramatic change in Israel's roadblock policy in the
West Bank. Right under the nose of the right-wing government of Benjamin
Netanyahu, the Israel Defense Forces has lifted some of the main, permanent
roadblocks in the West Bank, which have played a central role in restricting
the movement of Palestinians, mostly between the main Palestinian cities.

The decision of the defense establishment to ease Palestinian travel very
much reflects the steps the Palestinian Authority security forces have taken
against the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure in the West
Bank. American pressure and demands the Palestinians be allowed to move
freely in areas where there is no security risk are also a factor.

Currently, there are only 10 manned roadblocks within the West Bank
(excluding those linking the territories with Israel), and searches are not
carried out at every one of them. A year and a half ago, there were 35
manned roadblocks in operation.

Moreover, the defense establishment has allowed several hundred Palestinian
businessmen, holders of BMC (Businessman Card) permits, free access to
Israel. However, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs says its data shows there are 630 different obstacles and roadblocks
in place throughout the West Bank.

A week ago the DCO roadblock (set up by the Civil Administration) was
removed from the way heading into Jericho from the south. This gives the
city's residents free access to all parts of the West Bank. The lifting of
the roadblock to Jericho also allows access to the city to Israelis who
might want to visit the casino there.

Twenty days ago the DCO roadblock to the eastern entrance to Qalqiliyah was
removed, and the Einav roadblock east of Tul Karm was also lifted. In it
place there are soldiers but they do not check Palestinian vehicles but only
cars with Israeli license plates to prevent Israeli citizens from entering
Palestinian towns.

At the roadblock of Shavei Shomron, on the exit from Jenin to Nablus, checks
on Palestinian vehicles are no longer being carried out.

In essence, Palestinians from the main cities can now travel in the northern
West Bank without any security checks.

The roadblocks surrounding Nablus, a city that had been under complete
siege, have now all been lifted. Several months ago the roadblocks to the
west and east of the city were dismantled, and two weeks ago the northern
and southern roadblocks were also lifted.

Soldiers where the Nablus roadblocks stood prevent cars with Israelis from
entering the city during the week, but Israeli Arabs are allowed into the
city on Friday and Saturday.

The soldiers are also under orders to carry our random checks of Palestinian
vehicles.

On a trip to Ramallah, Palestinians will be checked at the Za'atra
roadblock, which is south of Hawara, but Palestinian eyewitnesses said there
are no delays. This is the only roadblock in the northern West Bank where
checks of Palestinian vehicles are still being carried out. On average, a
trip between Ramallah to Jenin takes 90 minutes, while several months ago it
took hours.

Last week the Aatra (Bir Zeit) roadblock north of Ramallah was lifted.
Between Ramallah and the southern West Bank, Hebron and Bethlehem, the Jaba
roadblock is still in operation at the Adam-La Ram junction. Palestinians
told Haaretz there are still random checks on cars, but Israeli security
sources said only Israeli vehicles are subjected to checks to avoid
accidental entry of Israeli citizens into unauthorized Palestinian areas.

Haaretz was told "the matter will be taken care of" by security sources.

The Wadi Nar roadblock, located northeast of Bethlehem, remains manned, and
random checks of vehicles are carried out. Residents of Hebron, in the
southern West Bank, wishing to travel north to Jenin, will be stopped at two
roadblocks for random checks, and the delays are not long.

The decision to lift the roadblocks was made by the commander of the Judean
and Samaria Division, Brigadier General Noam Tivon, along with Brigadier
General Yoav Mordechai, commander of the Civial Administration. Mordechai
and Tivon will meet with their Palestinian counterparts today at the PA's
headquarters in Bethlehem.

The dismantling of the roadblocks may have begun under while Ehud Olmert was
prime minister, but the pace was significantly slower than it is today. The
World Bank, the international community and the Americans demanded that
Israel take substantive action to improve the lot of the Palestinians in the
West Bank.

The World Bank stressed in each of its recent reports that only a
substantive change in the roadblock situation and easing of restrictions on
movement between Palestinian cities would enable economic growth in the PA.

The lifting of the roadblocks is being done with the authorization of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Chief of Staff
Gabi Ashkenazi and with the blessing of the Shin Bet.

On a number of occasions Netanyahu has said that he is in a position to take
action to improve the day-to-day life of Palestinians in the West Bank in a
way that would significantly better the economic conditions in the area.

Both Netanyahu and Barak believe that ultimately they will have no choice
but to evacuate the outposts in line with American demands. While that
evacuation will be met by reaction from the right wing, lifting roadblocks
does not bear a significant domestic political price if there are no
terrorist attacks as a result of the easing of restrictions.

Moreover, the good relations between Netanyahu and Barak has enabled the
prime minister to rally the defense minister in support of removing
roadblocks, while the bad blood between Olmert and Barak blocked progress on
the issue.

The latest easing of travel for the Palestinians allows Israel to claim it
is meeting its promises to lift restrictions and is contributing to the
bettering of the Palestinian economy.

An Israeli security source told Haaretz that "the improved security
situation in the West Bank permitted the lifting of the roadblocks. "When
there is law and order, [and] there are no armed [Palestinians] in the
streets and efforts are made to prevent terrorism, then there is no need for
roadblocks," said the source.