Israel halts plan to reopen West Bank roads to Palestinians

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Wednesday that the army had halted plans to reopen certain roads in the West Bank to Palestinian vehicles due to escalating violence, an Israeli newspaper reported.

 

"In recent years, in the wake of the last decade's terrorism wave, checkpoints have been erected and roads have been closed," Ya'alon was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post at a session of the Knesset (Israel's parliament).

 

"Due to an improvement in security that began after Operation Defensive Shield and lasted until recently, steps have been taken to ease [restrictions on Palestinian use of the roads]," he said.

 

"These administrative efforts included understandings with regard to reopening more roads in the future, but, due to the [recent violent] escalation, these steps have been frozen," he added.

 

Yet the minister did not specify which roads were included in the suspended plan.