Ahead of Sharm summit, the Israeli occupation government rejects Palestinian demand to lift West Bank roadblocks 

Date: 25 / 06 / 2007 Time: 11:47

Bethlehem - Ma'an - 

The Israeli occupation government has rejected the Palestinians' request to reduce the number of checkpoints and roadblocks on the roads in the occupied West Bank, reported the Israeli daily Haaretz on Monday. The Israeli occupation government cited security reasons; Hamas could take advantage of the removed roadblocks for bombing operations.

According to Reuters, Israeli officials say they are under heavy pressure from the US to remove roadblocks, checkpoints and settlement outposts from the West Bank. Despite this, Israel will continue to refuse to do this as long as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas does not reign in militants more effectively.

Besides removing major barriers, checkpoints and roadblocks near major Palestinian population centres, such as Hebron, Bethlehem and Nablus, Washington also wants Israeli Prime Minster Olmert to bolster Abbas's position by easing restrictions on Palestinian access to the Jordon Valley.

However, it is not likely Israel will comply very soon. An Israeli official said to Reuters that Israel is very cautious with these matters: "one suicide bombing and we're back to square one."

The Israeli occupation government has made it clear that first they want to be sure Abbas will not seek reconciliation with Hamas, as they will not accept another unity government, comprising both Hamas and Fatah members, another Israeli official told Reuters.

Israel's Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin warned the Israeli cabinet on Sunday that "it is not inconceivable that in a few weeks we will find ourselves faced with a Mecca B agreement," Haaretz reported. Diskin was referring to the Hamas-Fatah unity government deal mediated by Saudi Arabia in February in Mecca.

On Monday, Olmert, Abbas and Jordan's king Abdullah II will meet with Egyptian president, Husni Mubarak, at a summit at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm Al-Sheikh. Discussions are expected to focus on how Israel can further support Abbas.

According to Haaretz, the measures which Olmert may offer Abbas include the release of PA funds collected by Israel in the form of customs duties and VAT; the re-issue of VIP cards to Palestinians; greater numbers of permits to Palestinian businessmen wishing to cross into Israel; and allowing Fatah-affiliated armoured cars to travel in the West Bank.

Olmert is also likely to promise the continued supply of water, electricity, food, medicines and medical services to the Gaza Strip, and the opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel, Egypt and Gaza in order to allow the passage of people and cargo.

The leaders are likely to also discuss renewed security cooperation, both in the West Bank, and between Israel, Egypt, the PA and the US regarding ending arms smuggling to the Gaza Strip from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Haaretz says.

Regarding the release of the Palestinian Authority's withheld taxes, the funds are expected to be released in a number of installments in "agreement with the PA emergency government," Haaretz reported.

According to Reuters, the Israeli occupation government prime minister will also present security demands to Abbas at the summit on Monday. In an apparent attempt to isolate Hamas economically, diplomatically and militarily in the Gaza Strip, Olmert and the USA are trying to find ways to bolster Abbas in the West Bank.

Expectations are not high regarding the Sharm Al-Shaikh summit.

One Israeli commentator has termed the summit the "Fear Summit" as Olmert meets three "frightened leaders." The commentator, Sever Plocker, writing on the website of the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, warns Olmert: "No Israeli-Arab summit in Sharm el-Shaikh has ever produced any results."

In his editorial, he doubts that the leaders will succeed in lifting "the Sharm curse" and strike an agreement that will indeed be implemented on the ground.

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