UN: No. of Roadblocks in W. Bank Up 7 Percent from Last Sept.

The Associated Press and DPA

May 27, 2008

The United Nations said in a report Friday that the number of Israeli obstacles in the West Bank has increased by 7 percent since last September, despite an Israeli pledge to ease Palestinian movement in the area as part of fledgling peace talks. …

The report came out shortly after visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner criticized Israel’s network of roadblocks and checkpoints, which are seen as a key impediment to the recovery of the Palestinian economy. "The restrictions on access and mobility are still significant," Kouchner said at a Palestinian investment conference in Bethlehem. "They have not yet been alleviated as they should have. Israel should and Israel can exert more efforts in this regard without endangering its security."

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