The checkpoints have heightened resentment against Israel and are seen as a major contributor to continued strong support among Palestinians for suicide bombings and other attacks.
Ali Jarbawi, a political scientist at Bir Zeit, said support for Hamas and other militant groups would drop if the checkpoints were removed.
Palestinians and Israeli peace activists say the checkpoints have been ineffective in stopping Palestinian militants, noting that bombers and gunmen have found alternate routes into Israel.
Instead, the barriers have choked the Palestinian economy, with 50 percent of Palestinians now living below the poverty line, said Terje Roed-Larsen, the UN Mideast envoy.
Beyond that, he said, "there is a whole other dimension which is actually of greater importance, and that is the issue of dignity and identity."
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