Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., April 04, 2008 Adar2 29, 5768 | | Israel Time: 11:41 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Defense Minister Ehud Barak (right), standing next to Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi. (Nir Kafri) Last update - 01:10 04/04/2008 IDF completes removal of 50 roadblocks across the W. Bank By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies Tags: Palestinian Authority  With the removal of some ten "dirt mound" roadblocks across the West bank on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces completed its lifting of 50 of the barriers this week, a measure Defense Minister Ehud Barak last week undertook to implement at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Barak's bureau said the roadblocks were located close to the cities of Ramallah, Nablus, Tul Karm and Qalqilyah, and were removed as part of a series of moves aimed at improving the lives of Palestinians announced by the defense minister at the meeting with Rice. Also Thursday, Barak approved the allocation of NIS 8 million for the renovation of five large crossings in the West Bank. The Hawara checkpoint near Nablus is slated to be the first to be expanded and revamped. Advertisement The renovation will encompass improving the structures' lighting and water facilities, as well as installing sophisticated electronic equipment which would enable civilians, and not soldiers, to check the passing Palestinians from a distance. On Wednesday, Israel told the United States and the Palestinian Authority that it has implemented most of the "concrete steps" agreed to last week, chiefly the removal of the 50 roadblocks in the West Bank and the dismantling of the Rimonim checkpoint east of Ramallah. Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Sunday agreed to the measures aimed at paving the way for a final peace agreement later this year, beginning with the easing of restrictions in the West Bank, namely the removal of the roadblocks. In a statement issued earlier this week, Barak's office said Israel would scrap 50 dirt mounds which restrict Palestinian travel between major West Bank cities. But citing security concerns, Israel had balked at Palestinian demands to dismantle major checkpoints. Samir Abdallah, the Palestinian planning minister, said Israel's pledge to remove the 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," Abdallah said. Meanwhile, Rice said Sunday that the U.S. would be following up on Israel's activities in the West Bank to verify if it was implementing its promises to ease access and movement for the Palestinian population. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem on the first of a three-day visit to the region, Rice said: "We will be verifying what it is they are doing and this is all aimed at trying to improve the movement and access of the Palestinian people in the West Bank." "One of the reasons for the agreement that we have here is in fact we want to be much more systematic about what is being promised and what is being done than I think we have been able to be prior General [William] Fraser's mission," she said, referring to the U.S. envoy appointed to oversee implementation of the road map peace plan. Rice said that "General William Fraser will be following up on the specifics and will be making certain that in fact that are 50 [roadblocks] and that they are being removed, that in fact they have some impact on the access and movement." During the press conference in Jerusalem, Rice said that "General William Fraser will be following up on the specifics and will be making certain that in fact that are 50 [roadblocks] and that they are being removed, that in fact they have some impact on the access and movement." The Israeli measures included a promise to allow the construction of 5,000 to 8,000 Palestinian homes near Ramallah, and the deployment of security forces in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. The officials traveling with Rice also said, prior to her press conference, that the Palestinians had agreed to step up their efforts to prevent terror in the West Bank. Israel maintains hundreds of checkpoints, roadblocks and other travel restrictions in the West Bank, measures it says are needed to stop suicide bombers. The Palestinians say the restrictions are excessive and have stifled their economy. They have made removal of the checkpoints a top priority as the two sides, with U.S. backing, try to negotiate a final peace agreement by the end of the year. Related articles: Defense Min. sitting on plan to lift W. Bank roadblocks for a year IDF experts suggest 'surprise' roadblocks in place of checkpoints Candy at the checkpoint Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bread will abound J'lem court allows pizzerias, bakeries to sell leavened products during Passover. The looking glass A T.A. film festival tackles Israel's hardest issues from war to polygamy.   1.   Best wishes for General Fraser... 00:59  |  Esther 03/04/08   2.   And where was the dirr moved to? 01:41  |  Mark Lincoln 03/04/08   3.   Read between the lines 04:06  |  Baz Mann 03/04/08   4.   Waiting for the Fraser Report 06:02  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/04/08   5.   Fifty less roadblocks in the Road Map 06:14  |  Zev 03/04/08   6.   Al-Queida employs a U.S.Army general! 06:50  |  Tom O`Brien 03/04/08   7.   Israel Must Seriously Consider..... 09:13  |  MiddleStanian 03/04/08   8.   and how many NEW checkpoints were created? 10:42  |  Sarah 03/04/08   9.   This is a disgraceful offer 16:07  |  Dutch 03/04/08   10.   #5 Zev 16:30  |  Cool B 03/04/08   11.   dismantleing 18:55  |  colin 03/04/08   12.   #9 - the only thing disgracefull is Dutch 20:46  |  Adrian de Klerk 03/04/08   13.   Re mr. CoolB 21:09  |  Matthew 03/04/08   14.   Meaningless Gesture 21:16  |  Joe 03/04/08   15.   The Land is Judea and Samaria, and its Shechem, not Nablus 21:16  |  David 03/04/08   16.   This Govt. is insane 21:28  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 03/04/08   17.   Rabbi Yakov: Condi Rice = "black lady" 21:45  |  Joe 03/04/08   18.   #7 True, but... 21:45  |  BK 03/04/08   19.   Don`t worry too much..... 21:47  |  rm 03/04/08   20.   not good 21:48  |  alan 03/04/08   21.   Number 2, where to... 21:51  |  Sam 03/04/08   22.   Will this help? 21:53  |  Zach 03/04/08   23.   Jewish racism 22:02  |  Nigel 03/04/08   24.   #13 - Joe 22:13  |  MichaelF 03/04/08   25.   For David in Boston # 14 22:22  |  Clickfool 03/04/08   26.   MichaelF #24 22:35  |  Joe 03/04/08   27.   Clickfool being too generous to Israel 22:35  |  Nigel 03/04/08   28.   How did the terror start? 22:52  |  jon 03/04/08   29.   40 more to go.... 22:54  |  betz55 03/04/08   30.   Israel is an insult to the dignity of the human race 23:38  |  Dutch 03/04/08   31.   Ya latif. 10 checkpoints. With that momentum it`ll take too long 23:55  |  Aounist 03/04/08   32.   Iran can help remove israeli checkpoints, outposts, settlements 23:57  |  Aounist 03/04/08   33.   Reporting on roadblocks 00:13  |  Axel 04/04/08   34.   The Intifada built the check points 00:15  |  Realist 04/04/08   35.   It`s not enough! 00:17  |  POP 04/04/08   36.   #29, Aounist... 00:39  |  Silvienne 04/04/08   37.   #15, David has it the wrong way around... 00:40  |  Silvienne 04/04/08   38.   I`m a betting man 00:57  |  Jerrold Cohen 04/04/08   39.   Why remove illegal settlers to make peace? 01:39  |  Guy Green 04/04/08   40.   We all know the result of closing roadblocks. 01:49  |  Chaim 04/04/08   41.   It`s still an occupation! 02:10  |  Observer 04/04/08   42.   Zakah,,get those body bags ready 02:42  |  chaim 04/04/08   43.   the same nitwits will never let israel go free 03:22  |  hal tripp 04/04/08   44.   REMOVING 50 ROADBLOCKS ARE FAR FROM SUFFICIENT 04:10  |  Genuine Tosefta 04/04/08   45.   Checkpoints were response to suicide bombings 04:15  |  Free Gilad Shalit 04/04/08   46.   #27;Dutch "It`s morally wrong" to kill 04:45  |  Doc Holliday 04/04/08   47.   One Step Fwd, 3 Steps Backwards 05:08  |  Dave Levy 04/04/08   48.   To Zev: I Estimate 10 rockets and 10 Deaths 05:17  |  Dave Levy 04/04/08   49.   Nowmits up to palis 05:25  |  sabra 04/04/08   50.   At Condis insistence Israel removed biggest roadblock 3 yrs ago 07:34  |  Genuine Tosefta 04/04/08   51.   At Condis insistence Israel removed biggest roadblock 3 yrs ago 11:22  |  Genuine Tosefta 04/04/08

Today Online Israel and U.S. to coordinate on boycott of anti-racism meet Responses: 56 Former militant leader: The Palestinian people is finished Responses: 21 Poll: Nearly half of Israeli Arabs say let Iran develop nukes Responses: 15 Editorial: What kind of Israel do you want? Responses: 4 Akiva Eldar: The lie of peace and the nonsense of security Responses: 8 Antony Lerman: Europe's Jews deserve better Send response Rosner's Domain The Iranian bomb and the chain reaction (WTR) Intermarriage pushes the question: what does it mean to be Jewish? Poll: Who'll win the Jewish vote in PA? Israel Factor: McCain-Barak, the dream team Israelis approve of U.S. leadership (WTR) More Headlines 11:36 Dichter aide moderately hurt by Palestinian gunfire near Gaza 11:00 Syria: We choose peace, but we're ready for Israeli attack 10:49 Israel, U.S. to coordinate on boycott of Durban II conference 10:47 'Marching toward total ruin' 10:00 Poll: Nearly half of Israeli Arabs say let Iran develop nukes 11:39 A little tale about donkeys 04:58 Russian-Israelis abroad unaware repatriation program targets them 07:16 Bill banning MKs from visiting hostile states goes to plenum 01:42 ANALYSIS: Zigzag response to Syria tensions doesn't signal war 23:38 T.A. film festival tackles Israel's hardest issues from war to polygamy 02:55 Civil defense drill starts Sun.; to include mock chemical attack 02:34 'Smart classes' bring computerized learning aids to classrooms 10:42 Health Ministry: 'Complacence, negligence' cause patient's death Previous Editions Select Day 03 apr 02 apr 01 apr 31 mar 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar

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