maandag 28 april 2008

IDF verwijdert road blocks rond Nablus

Nablus en Jenin zijn beide bolwerken van terroristische organisaties, dus is het niet zo vreemd dat je niet vrijelijk tussen beide steden kunt reizen. Waarschijnlijk onder zware druk van de VS en tegen het advies van het defensie establishment, heeft Israël nu een belangrijke roadblock tussen beide steden weggehaald. Het feit dat tienduizenden onschuldige Palestijnen nu makkelijker kunnen reizen is zeker een groot goed; laten zij, en de PA er dan ook zorg voor dragen dat de angsten van defensiespecialisten geen realiteit worden en deze bewegingsvrijheid niet door terrroisten misbruikt zal worden.
 
De afgelopen maand zijn al 60 roadblocks verwijderd, en volgens sommigen is daardoor het aantal schietincidenten en andere gewelddadigheden op de Westoever al duidelijk toegenomen. Ook in het verleden heeft de verwijdering van roadblocks geleid tot hernieuwde aanslagen. De redenering dat juist Israëlische concessies de terroristen de wind uit de zeilen nemen en de kans op aanslagen dus verkleinen is een fabeltje gebleken. Juist de strenge restricties van de afgelopen jaren hebben de Israëli's veiligheid gebracht en het aantal aanslagen van meerdere per week tot enkele per jaar teruggebracht.
 
 
Ratna
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IDF lifts siege imposed on Nablus
 
After more than a year, roadblock near Asira a-Shamaliya opens; move expected to ease passage of Palestinians. IDF fears rise in activity in most terror-oriented city in West Bank
 
Hanan Greenberg Published: 04.28.08, 14:21 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3536853,00.html

 
The IDF was expected Monday afternoon to open the roadblocks near the village of Asira a-Shamaliya, east of the West Bank city of Nablus, to Palestinian movement, thus removing the siege imposed on the city considered as the main producer of terror in the West Bank.

The opening of the roadblock - after more than a year - is an additional step within the framework of easing of restrictions imposed on the Palestinian population in the West Bank, decided upon by Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
 
Gesture

The opening of "Roadblock 804" is considered the most significant step to date within the framework of the Israeli gestures to the Palestinians.

The movement of tens of thousands of Palestinians from Nablus to Jenin to the villages and in the opposite direction will now be made possible. This constitutes a considerable improvement in the population's conditions, allowing civilians to enter the city and its many institutions, but maye constitute a problem for the security community in terms of the passage of terrorists.

As a result of the defense minister's instruction to open the roadblock, which until now was opened only for humanitarian reasons, the IDF prepared estimates of the situation which included an analysis of the warnings apparent in the region.

The IDF will focus on intelligence information, however the operational activities in Nablus will continue - and a re-closing of the roadblock is possible.

Since the beginning of the month a total of 60 roadblocks were removed throughout the West Bank, however to date, only at less significant passageways. Also under the framework of the ease of restrictions is the issuing of crossing permits to Palestinian businesspeople.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat recenty slammed Israel, saying that PR was the only issue at hand: "The closure has turned into a method. The West Bank is turning into one big prison, like the Gaza Strip."

In a conversation with Ynet, security forces emphasized that "the IDF will continue fighting against terror infrastructures."

Even at the beginning of the roadblock-removal process, security forces said that these steps would make things easier for the terror organizations and their operatives.

While visiting the Hebron region a few weeks ago, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that this ease of restrictions on the Palestinians are a way to build trust with the pragmatic elements among them, and that this is of great importance.
 
 
Efrat Weiss contributed to this article

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