Around the World: Israel

Roadblocks to be removed

Israel intends to remove about 50 roadblocks restricting Palestinian movement in the occupied West Bank, the US State Department said yesterday during a visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The State Department document, issued after Rice called in Jerusalem for meaningful steps to improve the lives of Palestinians, did not specify which barriers would be removed.

Earlier, Israeli officials said Israel intended to take down 50 dirt mounds blocking West Bank roads and one or two checkpoints.

(China Daily 03/31/2008 page6)