Israel Lifts Military Blockades Against Most West Bank Cities

Ross Dunn
Jerusalem
05 Nov 2003, 19:49 UTC

Israel has lifted military blockades against most West Bank cities in a bid to ease the humanitarian
plight of Palestinians. Israeli officials said the decision is also a goodwill gesture toward Palestinian
Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, who is trying to form a new government.

Israel announced it had ended internal closures on all Palestinian cities in

the West Bank with the exception of Nablus and Jenin.

The Israeli Army said these two cities should continue to be sealed off due
to the large number of warnings that Palestinians are planning to use them
to launch terror attacks.
AP
Palestinian woman
stands between Palestinians in all other cities will now be allowed to travel outside their
Israeli army soldiers areas, providing they have a permit.
while waiting to cross
Hawara checkpoint
The restrictions are being eased two months after Israeli forces encircled
Palestinian self-rule areas in response to suicide bombings.

Israeli officials said the decision is aimed in part at boosting support for Palestinian Prime Minister
Ahmed Qureia, also known as Abu Ala, who is attempting to build a new government and has stated
his willingness to re-start peace talks.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom says that more goodwill gestures are needed to restore trust
between the two sides and set the climate for a return to negotiations. "Israel is trying to do
everything that is needed to bring the peace process back on track. I think that it is very important
that Abu Ala [Mr. Qureia] will form his new Cabinet," he said.

Mr. Shalom also urged the Palestinian Authority to dismantle, what he called, the terrorist
infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, saying this would speed up progress toward ending
the conflict.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who met Palestinian Finance Minister Salam
Fayyad earlier this week, says there are signs of a new Palestinian leadership emerging.

Mr. Mofaz says a process has begun that will eventually result in Palestinian President Yasser Arafat
vacating his post, but gave no indication of who he thought might eventually replace the veteran
Palestinian leader.