Israel eases travel restrictions at key West Bank checkpoint

Palestinians packed into cars to leave the West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday after Israel eased restrictions on residents leaving the town in vehicles for the first time in six years.

Luay Saadi, head of Palestinian-Israeli security coordination in Nablus, said Saturday that he was told by his Israeli counterparts that Palestinian men and women over age 50 can now leave the town in their cars, without prior permission from Israel's army.

An Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman could not confirm the new policy.

Most Nablus residents cross an Israeli checkpoint on foot to leave town or obtain a permit from Israel's military to exit in a vehicle.

But in an unusual turn of events on Saturday, IDF soldiers allowed all Palestinians in vehicles - not just those driven by people over 50 - to leave the city, prompting a rush of residents to enjoy the sudden easing up of restrictions.

Palestinian taxi drivers working around the large Israeli checkpoint of Hawara on Nablus' southern outskirts said they were told by IDF soldiers that the measure was a goodwill gesture for an upcoming Muslim holiday, meant to begin on Monday.

"Today I'm going in and out without a permit," said taxi driver Khaled al-Nadi.

Since 2002, Nablus residents have required a permit from Israel's army to leave their town in a vehicle. This is the first time those restrictions have been eased.

Checkpoints are one of the main grievances Palestinians cite of Israel's occupation of the West Bank. They hinder movement and have choked off trade.

Israel maintains a system of roadblocks throughout the West Bank to prevent Palestinian militants from carrying out attacks. Scores of suicide bombers and gunmen were dispatched from Nablus to attack Israelis at the height of fighting between Palestinians and Israel.

The town of 170,000 is ringed by eight checkpoints and road barriers to control movement.

An IDF spokeswoman said she was not aware of the new policy but said they were building extra lanes at the large Hawara checkpoint outside of Nablus to speed up movement.

In the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Palestinian official Amjad Shawa said an expected boat carrying a Qatari delegation was delayed for technical reasons. Shawa did not specify those reasons.

The boat was to be manned by pro-Palestinian activists. It was to ship the Qataris to Gaza on Sunday to defy Israel and Egypt's blockade of the coastal territory. The blockade was imposed after the militant group Hamas seized power of Gaza in July last year.

Activists have made three blockade-busting boat rides to Gaza, but this would have been the first carrying an Arab delegation.