Israelis rediscovering West Bank

As in days gone by, Israel Arabs are returning in droves to a number of West Bank cities. Israel, PA conducting talks on reopening Jenin to Israeli citizens in order to boost Palestinian economy, publicize improved relations between two sides

Ali Waked
Published: 11.20.07, 15:42 / Israel News

Israel and the Palestinian Authority are conducting talks on reopening Jenin to Israeli citizens in order to boost the Palestinian economy and publicize the improved relations between the two sides, Palestinian sources have told Ynet.

Sources close to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad — who has recently been gauging the position of Israeli officials on the issue — expressed their optimism that the situation will resolve itself positively. In the last few months, the West Bank has been quietly opening up to Israelis, and today, only Jenin and Nablus remain closed to Israeli visitors. Israeli Arabs regularly cram West Bank cities to shop and vacation.

Ongoing Process

Ease of restrictions on Palestinians okayed / Ynet reporters

In discussion attended by prime minister, defense minister, army chief and senior defense officials, participants decide to remove checkpoints, differentiate between Gaza and West Bank . Earlier, Defense Minister Peretz tells Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee he instructed IDF to take down 59 roadblocks out of 400 set up across West Bank

לכתבה המלאה

In the first weeks of the Intifada, the IDF issued an order forbidding Israeli citizens to enter PA territories; however, through understandings reached between Israel and the PA in recent months, the Army has once again allowed Israelis to enter almost all of the West Bank, and only places restrictions in cases of Jewish Israelis. As an example, citizens have been able to enter Hebron without restriction for over a year.

The IDF only rarely enforces the order in Ramallah and Arab Israelis have been enjoying the markets of Tulkarem for a few months already.

The hotels of Jericho have become the preferred weekend destination of Arab citizens, and Qalqilya was open for almost two years until recently when security considerations led to a prohibition on bringing vehicles into the city.

Israelis back in Jenin?

The ongoing discussion regarding Jenin means that tens of thousands of Arab Israelis from the north may soon return, leaving their money behind in a city once considered the capital of Palestinian militancy during the Intifada.

A PA source told Ynet that "this (agreement) will put serious progress between the two sides out on Palestinian street…. Even if we do not deceive ourselves into believing that a political agreement will be reached tomorrow morning, the people will be able to feel improvement in the economic situation."

"Reopening the cities, an improved economy, and the channeling of money from the international community as Tony Blair promised, will indicate a real change and make people more patient regarding the (peace process)," the source said.

In recent weeks the PA has expended much effort to gain security control over Nablus, which was previously filled with hundreds of armed men and dozens of independent cells.

Nablus is considered the tremendous success of the new security plan the PA is implementing. The sources reckon that it will likely even be the first city to revert to Palestinian control.

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