While things couldn’t be much worse in Gaza, Israel is making moves with the Palestinian Authority (led by “moderate” Mahmoud Abbas) in the West Bank. Israel just removed two roadblocks between Ramallah and the surrounding towns Ras Karkar and Ein Yabrud.
Israel has now removed 140 checkpoints in the West Bank in a plan engineered by Defense Minister and Labor MK Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Ashkenazi. The removed checkpoints give the Palestinians free movement around the West Bank, though the roadblocks did provide additional security to Jewish residents of West Bank town and Jerusalem.
One can draw a parallel between the removal of checkpoints and Netanyahu’s plan for economic growth in the West Bank. I agree with Netanyahu’s idea that peace cannot happen until both sides are economically secure.
Netanyahu claims to be the first Prime Minister to put Palestinian economics over Israeli safety. He has charged the bureaucracies of Israel to treat economic matters as if there were no security concern. While I worry about the safety of my family around Israel when security measures are dropped, I put my trust in Bibi to do the right thing.
Do you all think the economy for peace plan will work?
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