Defense Min. sitting on plan to lift W. Bank roadblocks for a year - Haaretz

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Tue., September 04, 2007 Elul 21, 5767

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		Palestinians crossing the Hawara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus. (AP)

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Last update - 08:35 04/09/2007

Defense Min. sitting on plan to lift W. Bank roadblocks for a year

By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent

While Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is dragging his feet over his promise to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to remove roadblocks in the West Bank - on the ground that the defense establishment is still reviewing the issue - a plan to reduce the number of internal checkpoints by nearly 50 percent has been lying in the Defense Ministry's inbox for almost a year.

The Shin Bet says it will approve the plan, formulated with input from a former Israel Defense Forces command chief, West Bank field officers and several ranks in between, if the IDF decides to adopt it.

American defense officials say the program is in line with Israeli promises to boost Abbas' status.

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The program was prepared by a former Defense Ministry adviser on Palestinian Affairs, Haggai Alon.

Army commanders consulted on the plan admitted that one-third of the internal roadblocks in the West Bank are piles of earth whose aim is to unnecessarily impede the passage of Palestinian vehicles.

Last week it was reported that Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering replacing many of the permanent checkpoints with mobile ones. This measure is part of Alon's plan, together with alternatives such as observation balloons and watchtowers near settlements, as well as other technological means exported by Israel to the U.S. and to China (for use in the Beijing Olympics). These measures have been proven to be considerably cheaper than deploying reserve soldiers at checkpoints and to patrol settlements.

Alon refused on Monday to comment on details of the proposal, but confirmed that several months ago he had presented "to the appropriate individuals" a plan that would reduce the number of checkpoints by up to 45 percent and modify the remainder without affecting the security of Israeli civilians, including settlers in the West Bank.

"We're not making gestures, since freedom of movement and the improvement of the economic activity of the Palestinians are Israeli interests," Alon said.

Brig.-Gen. (res.) Baruch Spiegel, who until eight months ago was responsible for examining the checkpoints and outposts, said he hoped that Barak will adopt the proposal, which he said was drafted with the full cooperation of the army.

He said the plan presented to Israeli and U.S. officials includes the construction of pillboxes that could be manned on short notice and employed as roadblocks.

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1.	Road block removal may spark terror	06:02	\|	Ahmed Mustapha	04/09/07

2.	Who is responsible?I	07:03	\|	Esther	04/09/07

3.	"Ahmed Mustapha".......	08:39	\|	Esther	04/09/07

4.	Israeli piecrust promises for their American milch cow	10:07	\|	Clickfool	04/09/07

5.	ISRAEL NEEDS PRESSURE TO ACT	10:28	\|	indrajaya	04/09/07

6.	-45% without compromising security	10:30	\|	rose	04/09/07

7.	If implemented, this would hurt a lot!	11:10	\|	H50	04/09/07

8.	What ever happened to "Breaking their Will" ??	11:43	\|	Natallie Durson	04/09/07

9.	Leave Netanya, Sharon now!!!!!	11:49	\|	Z Lando	04/09/07

10.	road blocks	11:51	\|	Mohamamd	04/09/07

11.	NO ROADBLOCKS!RETAKE GAZA, W.BANK, ELIMINATE TERROR)))))))))))))	12:12	\|	VOICE of MOSHIACH)))	04/09/07

12.	"Esther" and humiliation......	12:33	\|	Z Lando	04/09/07

13.	# 6 H50	12:54	\|	Lynn	04/09/07

14.	ISRAEL IS EXPECTING FOR A FINAL SHOWDOWN WITH HAMAS	12:57	\|	indrajaya	04/09/07

15.	Mohammed of Ramallah	13:03	\|	Lynn	04/09/07

16.	unnecessarily impediments???	13:05	\|	Akiva Patysh	04/09/07

17.	#13 Lynn	13:45	\|	H50	04/09/07

18.	They will sit..and sit..and sit	14:19	\|	www.kibush.co.il	04/09/07

19.	An Open Letter to Muhamad Abbas	14:52	\|	Mark Lincoln	04/09/07

20.	YES, A SHOWDOWN	15:45	\|	indrajaya	04/09/07

21.	Check Points are means for polictical pressure not security	15:59	\|	isratinian	04/09/07

22.	The Israeli Government is not interested in moving forward	16:06	\|	Don Camillo	04/09/07

23.	#21 and #2	17:03	\|	Polybios	04/09/07

24.	Pressure to act? Indonesia Indrajaya	17:27	\|	bobby	04/09/07

25.	Olmert is no man of his word...shame on him!	17:27	\|	Dutch	04/09/07

26.	#22 don reaches the dreamlike state of wish fulfilment NOT	17:35	\|	victor hardman	04/09/07

27.	Saving them for Blair	18:43	\|	David Hoffman	04/09/07

28.	Polybios, Akiva, Lynn	18:47	\|	Mark of Lewiston	04/09/07

29.	Will you please wait till after the High Holidays	19:46	\|	Alice of Wonderland	04/09/07

30.	#4	22:51	\|	Moshe	04/09/07

31.	# 28 Mark of Lewiston	22:57	\|	Lynn	04/09/07

32.	#28	23:05	\|	Moshe	04/09/07

33.	# 8 Fatmah, the terms are for you....	01:05	\|	Misha	05/09/07

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