Jerusalem – Israel agreed Monday to remove some of the military roadblocks that have hindered Palestinian travel in the West Bank, one of several gestures aimed at boosting moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his bitter struggle with the militant Islamic Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved streamlining checkpoints and removing roadblocks “to strengthen moderate (Palestinian) elements,” according to a statement. Olmert already has offered $100 million in frozen tax income to Abbas and indicated that he might release some Palestinian prisoners.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said inspections would be eased at 16 checkpoints, and 27 unmanned roadblocks would be removed. Also, crossings for people and cargo between Gaza and Israel would be upgraded “in order to accelerate the economy in Gaza to lessen the poverty and despair.”
Olmert singled out Abbas as a Palestinian leader who is interested in peace with Israel – a clear contrast to Hamas, which rejects the existence of a Jewish state in an Islamic Middle East and has rebuffed international demands to renounce violence. Hamas controls the Palestinian government.
On Saturday, Olmert and Abbas met for the first summit meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in more than a year. Abbas brought up the issues of prisoners and roadblocks – among the highest priorities for his people. Delivering on those two items would serve Olmert’s interests in boosting Abbas, but they would also cause him considerable political trouble at home.
For six months, Hamas-linked gunmen have been holding an Israeli soldier captured in a cross- border raid. Up to now, Olmert has said he would not free any of the estimated 8,000 prisoners Israel is holding until the captured solider is freed. His apparent change of heart has drawn fire from the father of the soldier and hard-line opponents in parliament, but more importantly, from members of his Cabinet.
Removing roadblocks has also stirred opposition. Only a fraction of the more than 400 permanent barriers in the West Bank would be taken down, but the Israeli army commander in the West Bank, Brig. Gen. Yair Naveh, warned in a closed meeting that even that would aid Palestinian militants in attacking Israelis, according to security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.
Trouble also was brewing on the Gaza front, with militants firing rockets at Israel daily despite a cease-fire. Four rockets exploded harmlessly in Israel on Monday, and two mortar shells landed near an army base at the vital Karni cargo crossing between Israel and Gaza, the military said.
Israel instructed its U.N. ambassador Monday to lodge a complaint with the Security Council over the rocket fire, a government statement said.
Hard-line politicians have been clamoring for retaliation, but so far Olmert has refused.
The statement from Olmert’s office said that in the first stage, the checkpoints would be expanded and services extended to cut down on waiting time for Palestinians. Later, some roadblocks would be lifted.
“We must consider easing roadblocks in places where this does not pose a danger,” Defense Minister Amir Peretz said.
Although hundreds of roadblocks will remain, “we still consider this a step in lifting the internal closure in the West Bank,” said Saeb Erekat, a top Abbas aide.
