Israel agrees to ease some W. Bank restriction: Blair

By Adam Entous

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has agreed to ease gradually some travel and trade restrictions on Palestinians and to cede more security authority in parts of the occupied West Bank, Middle East envoy Tony Blair said on Tuesday.

Unveiled a day before a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush, the measures were intended to boost Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that have shown little sign of progress.

But an Israeli army spokesman said many of the changes outlined by Blair would be implemented only "in the future" and on condition that Israeli security demands were met.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurie said he hoped the changes were serious but complained that Israel has yet to meet its long-standing "road map" obligations to uproot West Bank outposts and freeze Jewish settlement activity.

The road map calls on Palestinians to rein in militants.

"It is a significant first step," Blair told a news conference of the package he negotiated with Defense Minister Ehud Barak. "The test will be in its implementation."

The envoy, who had given Barak a list of 12 roadblocks and checkpoints he wanted removed or overhauled, played down prospects for sweeping changes in restrictions Palestinians call collective punishment and Israel sees as vital to its security.

Blair said Israel agreed to scrap one checkpoint near the West Bank city of Hebron this week.

He said Israel would at the earliest possible date remove two other checkpoints and one roadblock, as well as relocate a major checkpoint at Beit El near Ramallah "once Israel determines the security situation so allows".

Blair said Israel agreed to overhaul six other checkpoints to improve the flow of travelers and trade. He said all of the agreed changes could take months but would improve north-south and east-west movement in the West Bank.

SECURITY

The main focal point for Blair and the Bush administration is the northern West Bank city of Jenin, where Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has launched a law-and-order campaign.

Blair said new security arrangements between Israel, the Palestinians and U.S. envoys would give Abbas's forces security control over a designated area in the northern West Bank totaling 360 square kilometers (140 square miles).

Blair said the Jenin security pact could be replicated in other parts of the West Bank, though he acknowledged that Israel would still retain "overall" security responsibility.

Blair said the security deal would be accompanied by economic projects targeting Jenin. He said construction could now begin on an industrial park in the area and that Israel would give 1,000 work-entry permits to local residents.