Israel readying plan to facilitate movement across separation fence

Israeli diplomats in Washington have begun briefing US administration officials on the initiative to improve the quality of life among Palestinians.

The source said this was an initiative to improve the quality of life among Palestinians, which conformed with the stated policy of President George W. Bush and the Israeli government.

The source denied a "Reuters" report from last night that Israel had asked the US to contribute an estimated $180 million of a $450 million proposal to set up new crossing points and upgrade others along its barrier with Palestinian areas. However, he said the possibility that Israel might request help for financing the project in the future could not be ruled out.

The source said the plan included special scanners for goods and other electronic equipment that would eliminate the need to unload goods at the border from trucks in the territories and transferring the goods to other trucks for travel within Israel. The plan is intended to speed up the movement of Palestinian goods to Israeli destinations or ports.

Reuters quoted an Israeli diplomat as saying, "In recent months, Israel and the (Bush) administration have been in ongoing conversations about the ways in which to strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve the humanitarian situation on the ground."

The UN has meanwhile begun collecting claims for damages caused by the separation fence. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he had sent a letter to the chairman of the UN General Assembly outlining the procedures for collecting claims for damages caused by the separation fence. The procedures were established in a General Assembly resolution passed last summer.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 12, 2005