• In August 2008, a 16-year-old boy was detained at the Hawara checkpoint attempting to smuggle pipe bombs and other weapons. Just two months earlier, another Palestinian was caught with pipe bombs at the checkpoint; weeks before, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shot and killed a man carrying three explosive devices. [3]

• In June 2005, Wafa Samir Ibrahim, was arrested at the Erez crossing after she attempted to enter Israel under the pretext of receiving medical care. She attempted to detonate the bomb when IDF soldiers discovered the suicide belt. [4]

• In March 2002, Ahmed Jibril was arrested after IDF soldiers discovered a suicide belt and explosives inside the ambulance he was driving at an IDF roadblock. Jibril confessed that he was delivering the explosives – hidden under a Palestinian child - to terrorists in Ramallah. [5]

Despite the risks, Israel recently removed numerous roadblocks and security checkpoints to improve freedom of movement.

In the past 18 months, the IDF improved Palestinians ability to move freely in the West Bank. [6] Examples include:

• Removal of more than 140 temporary roadblocks placed in strategic locations due to security threats in the past year; [7]

• Removal of 19 manned checkpoints in the last year and a half, according to the IDF; [8]

• On June 3 the army dismantled key roadblocks near Rimonim and Atara, Jewish towns on the outskirts of Ramallah, enabling Palestinians free passage between Ramallah and Jericho; [9]

• On June 17, the IDF removed the Vered Jericho crossing south of Jericho, providing Palestinians freedom of movement between Jericho and the Jordan Valley. [10]

A number of other IDF initiatives eased travel for Palestinians in the West Bank. They include:

• The Asira al-Shamalia checkpoint near Nablus is now open 24/7 to facilitate travel from Nablus to other parts of the northern West Bank. [11] Nablus, previously surrounded by roadblocks, no longer is enclosed by any roadblocks; [12]

• All other roadblocks except for Za’atra, south of Hawara on the way to Ramallah, were removed. Za’atra is the only remaining checkpoint where vehicles are inspected in the northern West Bank; [13]

• The IDF opened crossing No. 422 and the Ha’able roadblock, positioned east and south of Qalqilya on the northwestern border of the West Bank; [14]

• On March 4, the IDF removed a checkpoint on the southern route to Tulkarem and opened a new road, facilitating access from the western West Bank into Ramallah; [15]

• On May 25, West Bank road junctions Bani Na’im and Al Fahs opened for traffic, enabling direct access to the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank; [16]

• Vehicle permits are no longer required for Palestinians to enter Nablus; [17]

• On June 6, the IDF began working to keep Hawara checkpoint (south of Nablus) and another checkpoint northwest of Nablus, open 24/7. [18]

Israel has also undertaken a number of security measures aimed at limiting the IDF presence in the West Bank and placing greater responsibility for security on the Palestinians. Examples include:

• On June 25, the IDF stated it would limit its presence in four Palestinian cities: Bethlehem, Jericho, Qalqiliya and Ramallah and give Palestinian security services more responsibility for stopping terrorist activity. [19]

• Security cooperation between the IDF and the Palestinian security services increased in 2008. More than 240 coordinated meetings took place between the two sides at the division, brigade and liaison office levels. [20]

• Twenty Palestinian police stations opened throughout the West Bank. Israel helped arrange the deployment of Palestinian police in Hebron, a move requested by the Palestinians. [21]

Experts for Comment on Israeli Security

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi
Founder and President, The Israel Project
Tel.: 202-857-6644 (office); 202-365-0787 (cell)
E-mail: jenniferm@theisraelproject.org  
Web site: www.theisraelproject.org

Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff
Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel
Tel: 202-364-5578 (office)
E-mail: dcm@israelemb.org

Jonathan Peled
Spokesman, Israeli Embassy
Cell: (202) 276-2800
E-mail: sp@washington.mfa.gov.il  

Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich (Israel)
Head of IDF International Media Branch
To contact: 011-972-03-608-0238 (office)

Mitchell Bard
Executive Director, American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise
Tel: 301-565-3918
E-mail: mgbard@aol.com  
Mitchell G. Bard is the author of 19 books including "Myths and Facts: A Concise Record of the Arab-Israeli Conflict" and "Will Israel Survive?" Mr. Bard is a well-known expert on foreign policy and the Middle East and has appeared on local and national television and radio outlets.

Yehuda Ben-Meir (Israel)
Former deputy minister of foreign affairs; former member of Knesset;
Principal Research Fellow and Director of the National Security and Public Opinion Project at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv; author of “National Security Decision making: The Israeli Case”
Tel.: 972-3-640-0400 ext. 469
Tel.: 972-50-380-8849
E-mail: benmeir@inss.org.il

Daniel Diker (Israel)
Director of Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs; serves as Knesset Affairs correspondent for Israel Broadcasting Authority’s English news.
Field: Contemporary Middle Eastern affairs, Internal Palestinian conflict in Gaza, freedom of press in Palestinian territories
Contact via Adam Shay, JCPA Project Coordinator
Tel.: 972-2-561-9112

Professor Ephraim Inbar (Israel)
Director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies; professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University
Field: Arab-Israeli conflict, strategic developments in the Middle-East
Cell: 972-54-660-3409
Tel.: 972-3-535-9198
E-mail: inbare@mail.biu.ac.il  

David Makovsky
Director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Tel: 202-452-0650 (office)
E-mail: davidm@washingtoninstitute.org  

Dr. Jonathan Rynhold (Israel)
Affiliation: Lecturer in political science at Bar Ilan University
Field: Specializes in Israeli policy, regarding the separation barrier and the, disengagement plan, in U.S.-Israel relations, and in Middle East-Far East relations. Affiliation: Bar Ilan University
Cell: 972-54-577-5817
Tel.: 972-3-531-8873
E-mail: rynhold@mail.biu.ac.il  

Zalman Shoval (Israel)
Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., former member of Knesset
Tel.: Assistant, Tammi: 972-3-517-3310

Ephraim Sneh (Israel)
Former Israeli Deputy Defense Minister
Contact via Eve: 972-52-871-4642

Ambassador Martin Indyk
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy
Office: 202-797-6462
E-mail: sabancenter@brookings.edu  

Footnotes:

[1] “Terror before 2000,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accessed June 30, 2009, http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/terrorism-%20obstacle%20to%20peace/palestinian%20terror%20before%202000/

[2] “Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accessed July 1, 2009, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Victims+of+Palestinian+Violence+and+Terrorism+sinc.htm

[3] Weiss, Efrat, “Palestinian teen caught with pipe bombs, knife at Hawara checkpoint,” YNet News, Aug. 13, 2008, http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3581977,00.html

[4] “Attack by female suicide bomber thwarted at Erez crossing,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 20, 2005, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+and+Islamic+Fundamentalism-/Attack+by+female+suicide+bomber+thwarted+at+Erez+crossing+20-Jun-2005.htm

[5] “Palestinian Misuse of Medical Services and Ambulances for Terrorist Activities,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oct. 13, 2004, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Law/Legal+Issues+and+Rulings/Palestinian+Misuse+of+Medical+Services+and+
Ambulances+for+Terrorist+Activities+13-Oct-2004.htm

[6] Harel, Amos and Isaacharoff, Avi, “Israel removes dozens of West Bank roadblocks,” Haaretz, June 24, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1095231.html

[7] “IDF Removes Various Roadblocks and Crossings,” IDF, June 18, 2009, http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/the_Front/09/06/1801.htm

[8] Isaacharoff, Avi, “UN says Israel roadblock count is not accurate,” Haaretz, Jan. 26, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen
/spages/1095534.html; Harel, Amos and Issacharoff, Avi, “Israel removes dozens of West Bank roadblocks,” Haaretz, June 24, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1095231.html
 
[9] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict June ,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, June 2, 2009, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/ipc_e035.htm

[10] “IDF Removes Various Roadblocks and Crossings,” IDF, June 18, 2009, http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/the_Front/09/06/1801.htm

[11] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict June ,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, June 2, 2009, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/ipc_e035.htm

[12] Harel, Amos, Isaacharoff, Avi, “Israel removes dozens of West Bank roadblocks,” Haaretz, June 24, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1095231.html

[13] Harel, Amos, Isaacharoff, Avi, “Israel removes dozens of West Bank roadblocks,” Haaretz, June 24, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1095231.html

[14] Leshem, Elie, “IDF to dismantle crossing near Jericho,” The Jerusalem Post, June 17, 2009, http://www.jpost.com/
servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1245184855877

[15] “West Bank Movement and Access Update: May ,” United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory,” http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_movement_and_access__05_25_english.pdf. Accessed on June 23, 2009; “Southern Tulkarem checkpoint removed,” Palestine News Network, March 4, , http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4898

[16] “West Bank Movement and Access Update: May ,” United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory,” http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_movement_and_access__05_25_english.pdf. Accessed on June 23, 2009.

[17] “West Bank Movement and Access Update: May ,” United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory,” http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_movement_and_access__05_25_english.pdf. Accessed on June 23, 2009.

[18] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict June ,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, June 2, 2009, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/ipc_e035.htm

[19] “Israeli sources: IDF to limit West Bank raids,” Haaretz, June 25, 2009, http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1095624.html

[20] “Positive trend in economic indicators for the West Bank,” Ministry of Defense Coordination of Government Activities in Territories, November 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/C1A9F626-4E6C-4271-B598-41C911A793CF/0/WBEconomyNov2008.pdf

[21] “Positive trend in economic indicators for the West Bank,” Ministry of Defense Coordination of Government Activities in Territories, November 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/C1A9F626-4E6C-4271-B598-41C911A793CF/0/WBEconomyNov2008.pdf