Israel removes 50 West Bank roadblocks

Occupied Jerusalem: Fifty dirt mounds serving as roadblocks in the West Bank have been removed, Israel said on Thursday.

Israel said the removal of the roadblocks fulfils a promise made to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her recent tour.

Earlier calls to remove the blockades have been rejected by Israel because of security reasons, a decision that Palestinians have said hurts their economy.

Israel announced it would remove 50 "dirt roadblocks" on Sunday, following talks with Rice.

An army spokeswoman and a defence official said the obstacles had been dismantled.