Palestinians begin returning to jobs as Israel eases restrictions

Palestinian workers in small numbers were returning to jobs in Israel, a concrete sign of the improved atmosphere after an Israeli-Palestinian summit produced a dramatic declaration of an end to four years of bloodshed.

The military said on Wednesday that 2,000 workers from the West Bank and 1,000 from Gaza, in addition to 500 merchants, would be allowed to cross into Israel easing a closure clamped on the territories weeks ago after repeated attacks by militants.

Before violence erupted four years ago, more than 100,000 Palestinians used to cross into Israel every day to work, providing a key source of income for poverty-stricken areas.

Israel closed the gates as part of its measures to stop suicide bombers and other attackers, but the restrictions including dozens of West Bank roadblocks have decimated the Palestinian economy.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday that Israel would not only withdraw from five Palestinian population centres; but also, it would remove the roadblocks around them.

"We agreed that they [Israelis] will pull out of five Palestinian ... cities and surrounding areas, and also on the removal of roadblocks, which will be manned by the Palestinian forces," Abbas said.

In past periods of calm, Israel pulled its troops out of the towns but left the surrounding roadblocks in place in effect quarantining the towns despite their exit.

Now, according to an Israeli defence official, troops will remove the roadblocks near the towns, though the ones blocking entrance from the West Bank into Israel will remain in place.

Israel says it needs the checkpoints to stop suicide bombers and other attackers.

However, in a recent report, the World Bank cited Israeli restrictions on the flow of people and goods as the main cause of economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where nearly half of Palestinians live on less than $2 (about Dh7) a day.

The truce declaration at a Tuesday summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm Al Shaikh has raised hopes of ending the violence and restarting peace moves.

Israel is to hand over security control in the towns of Jericho, Tulkarem, Qalqiliya, Bethlehem and Ramallah in the next three weeks. Abbas and Sharon agreed to the timetable on Tuesday.