Israel's defense minister endorsed a plan to speed up checks at West Bank roadblocks, but also make them more permanent -- a sign that crippling travel restrictions on Palestinians will not be lifted any time soon.
The plan includes a code of conduct for soldiers, high-tech devices and a special lane for ambulances, VIPs and foreigners, according to a Defense Ministry statement Monday.
The army lifted yesterday a closure that had been clamped on the West Bank and Gaza Strip last Thursday ahead of the Jewish holiday of Purim. Palestinian workers will be permitted to enter Israel and the Erez Industrial Zone in the Gaza Strip, the army said in a statement.
PHOTO: AFP
The army often prevents Palestinians from entering Israel during Jewish holidays. Palestinian suicide bombers have attacked public places during holidays several times in the past.
In a West Bank raid late Monday, Israeli troops shot dead a bystander, relatives said. Soldiers entered the town of Salfit to arrest a suspect, but his neighbor, Khaled Mahdi, 34, a grocer, was killed by a stray bullet, they said. The military had no immediate comment.
Israel set up dozens of roadblocks in the West Bank after violence erupted in 2000 to keep militants from reaching Israel. Soldiers enforce frequent curfews and travel bans, crippling movement in the territory and harming the Palestinian economy.
One Israeli army commander recommended this week that Israel use millions of dollars confiscated from Palestinian banks to improve roadblocks, but it was not clear whether Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz adopted the idea.
Palestinians often wait in long lines to be checked. Human rights groups have complained about Israeli abuses, chronicling cases of ambulances being held up or innocent Palestinians being beaten by soldiers. Israel has admitted wrongdoing some cases, denying others or attributing them to security needs.
Israel insists the roadblocks are needed to stop suicide bombers and other Palestinian attackers. Suicide bombers have killed more than 450 Israelis.
Mofaz's move to upgrade the roadblocks comes at a time when Israel is proposing a pullout from all or most of the Gaza Strip if peace talks remain stalled. Palestinians fear such a withdrawal will be accompanied by a concerted Israeli effort to dig into major parts of the West Bank.
The Defense Ministry statement said the changes were meant "for humanitarian improvements for Palestinians in West Bank," but it also included "transforming all roadblocks into regular crossing points/terminals governed by a work plan," language that indicates permanence.
The ministry did not respond to a request for clarification.
Among the planned improvements are high-tech devices for identifying people to speed up passage -- a significant investment for an army hard hit by government budget cuts and another sign of a long-term project.
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