Region | Palestinian Territories

Israel will remove 50 roadblocks, says Rice

Israel announced plans on Sunday to ease some restrictions on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, responding to calls by visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to take steps to bolster peace talks.

  • Reuters
  • Published: 00:56 March 31, 2008
  • Gulf News

Occupied Jerusalem: Israel announced plans on Sunday to ease some restrictions on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, responding to calls by visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to take steps to bolster peace talks.

After a three-way meeting in occupied Jerusalem between Rice, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Israel said it would remove about 50 "dirt roadblocks" and open a "permanent checkpoint" that obstructs the flow of travellers to the town of Jericho.

"I think it's a very good start," said Rice, who shuttled between Israel and Jordan to assess the state of US-backed peace talks before President George W. Bush returns to the region in May.

Israel has pledged in the past to remove West Bank barriers but failed to do so, Western and Palestinian officials said.

Samir Abdullah, the Palestinian Planning Minister, said removing dirt mounds did not go far enough, saying major checkpoints, choking the West Bank economy, must be taken down as well. "These are small steps," Abdullah said.

Citing security concerns, Israel has balked at Palestinian demands to dismantle major checkpoints.

Long lines and strict security checks by Israeli soldiers have turned the checkpoints into hated symbols of occupation.

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