Israel transfers northern West Bank to Palestinian control

In the UK and international papers today, several papers note that Quartet envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair yesterday revealed a plan agreed upon by Israel and the Palestinian Authority to remove several checkpoints in the West Bank, to ease the flow of traffic in the area and further economic initiatives. Reuters reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said yesterday that Israel and the Palestinian negotiators had reached key understandings and points of agreement on a number of issues regarding the peace process. BBC Online notes that US President George W. Bush will begin his visit to Israel today in celebration of sixty years of independence. Sky News Online reports that chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that US President Bush is not moving in the right direction to promote peace and a more realistic political track needs to be undertaken. The Guardian carries a piece by Samir El-youseef who gives a Palestinian narrative on Israel's sixtieth anniversary. The newspaper's website also carries a video, part of series on Gaza, about a middle class family living in the Strip. The Daily Telegraph notes that yesterday Israeli police raided the offices of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as part of an investigation over bribery charges. The Financial Times, meanwhile, analyses the US presidential candidates' Middle East policy. In other news, the Guardian notes that the US will help the Lebanese army in its efforts to fight and disarm Hezbollah. The Financial Times reports that Saudi Arabia yesterday described Hezbollah's actions in Lebanon as a coup backed by Iran.

In the Israeli press, all papers note that Quartet envoy Tony Blair revealed yesterday an Israeli-Palestinian agreed upon plan to remove checkpoints and ease restrictions in the West Bank. Haaretz notes that Israel will transfer some security control in the West Bank to the Palestinians. Several papers also note that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said yesterday during the presidential conference that substantial understandings and agreements had been reached on many issues between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators regarding the peace process. In other news, the Jerusalem Post notes that the US representative to the IAEA, Greg Schulte, is not optimistic regarding Iran's efforts to halt its nuclear development programme.

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