The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Jerusalem

Israel has agreed to ease travel and trade restrictions on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Middle East envoy Tony Blair said on Tuesday, seeking to bolster peace talks. "This is a first step but it is a significant first step," Blair told a news conference.

"It will make a marked improvement," he said, adding that the changes would over time "significantly" improve north-south and east-west movement within the West Bank. Blair said Israel would scrap one checkpoint near the West Bank city of Hebron this week, and remove or relocate several others, including one at Beit El near Ramallah, which would be moved "once Israel determines the security situation so allows."