Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., May 02, 2008 Nisan 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 05:11 (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

Last update - 04:42 02/05/2008 Donor nations to call on Israel to remove roadblocks By Avi Issacharoff and Asaf Uni, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Israel, Palestinian Authority  Donor states to the Palestinian Authority are expected to express grave concern for the suffering of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip at a conference that opens Friday in London. A meeting of the Middle East Quartet of peacemakers will take place on the sidelines of this conference, chaired by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and attended by several Arab foreign ministers. They will discuss ways of developing economic institutions in the West Bank and Gaza. Diplomatic sources said the donor states' closing statement will call for the opening of the Gaza border crossings and express concern over Israel's increasing traffic restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Advertisement Conference delegates will present a World Bank report censuring Israel for not doing enough to help the Palestinian Authority by removing roadblocks or reducing traffic restrictions to help revive the Palestinian economy. According to UN figures, there are 612 roadblocks and obstructions, a rise of more than 60 percent compared to their number when the freedom of access and movement agreement was signed in 2005. Palestinian sources said the PA was acting to bring about a denunciation of Israel at both the conference and the Quartet's meeting. The conference's closing statement is also expected to praise the PA for beginning to implement Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's reforms. Sources in Jerusalem on Friday said that the Quartet is expected to support Russia's plan to convene an international peace conference in Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been making efforts to bring about this event, with the encouragement of PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinian sources say Abbas believes that such a conference in Moscow would force Israel to speed up the peace talks, or alternatively, lead to harsh criticism of Israel if it refuses. However, a senior PA official blasted Russia's conduct. He said the Russians have been playing a double role, wishing to mediate between Hamas and Fatah while at the same time keeping open channels to Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas, so as to act as a counterbalance to the United States. British Middle East envoy Michael Williams said yesterday that Israel's failure to remove West Bank roadblocks is a source of "grave concern." However, he said a balance must be struck between removing the roadblocks, which is essential for the Palestinian economy's growth, and Israel's security needs. Fayyad is expected to call on the donor states to pressure Israel to remove the roadblocks. Conference host Britain said it intended to ensure that the donor states meet their undertaking to contribute $7.7 billion to building economic institutions in the Palestinian Authority, as they resolved to do at the Paris conference in December. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who will represent Israel in London, is expected to meet her Egyptian counterpart Aboul Gheit there. The two, who have not met since their highly publicized confrontation in December over arms smuggling from Sinai into Gaza, are expected to discuss the peace process between Israel and the PA and the situation in the Gaza Strip. Livni is also due to discuss the Iranian nuclear program and the peace talks with Ban and with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. She is also scheduled to meet Foreign Secretary David Miliband, and Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague. Related articles: Human rights groups call on Israel to stop limiting fuel to Gaza State recycles promise to remove dozens of roadblocks in the West Bank Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hamas on the Holocaust Al-Aqsa TV claims Jews concocted the Holocaust. Grasping genocide How a non-Jew in Israel came to understand the Holocaust.   1.   What a bunch of Maroons 04:41  |  Mark Lincoln 02/05/08

Read & React IDF chief: We take calls for Israel's destruction seriously Responses: 171 Israel Harel: Jewish guilt over Gaza deaths weakens us in fight for Israel's existence Responses: 165 Hamas TV: 'Satanic Jews' planned, perpetrated Holocaust Responses: 189 Palestinians: IDF kills 62-year-old Gazan; 9 Qassams hit Negev Responses: 75 Mofaz, at Yale: Iran could have nuke bomb technology this year Responses: 37 Rosner's Domain Talking about war with Iran is not necessarily bad Ziad Asali: The urgency of settlement freeze Harry Potter, nice Jewish boy (WTR) Poll: truce with Hamas, good or bad? Is Israel finished? five questions More Headlines 02:46 Police summon Olmert for questioning under caution 04:42 Donor nations to call on Israel to remove roadblocks 02:20 Rice: Israelis and Palestinians must agree on final borders 04:46 A veteran of the partisans, but he could not free Mt. Scopus 17:34 Hamas TV claims 'Satanic Jews' planned, perpetrated Holocaust 22:56 Yellow patch, Blue victory: U.K. media praise Grant after Chelsea win 02:53 Between Qassams and poverty, especially tough times in Sderot 04:57 Insulted ex-mayor demands revision of school booklet 20:24 IDF chief at Auschwitz: We take calls for Israel's destruction seriously 21:12 Ma'aleh Adumim mayor: I got impression that gov't plans to divide J'lem 01:02 Eitan's wheeling and dealing keeps Pensioners Party intact Previous Editions Select Day 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr 21 apr 20 apr 18 apr

Special Offers Advertisement Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer The interest rates haven't changed But your profits will! Learn Hebrew online with Israel's best teachers Sign up for a trial lesson today Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved