This is Good News from Israel!

US hails Israeli checkpoint steps

The Israeli army will still go into

the towns when it thinks it

necessary

The US has welcomed Israeli steps to ease movement in the occupied West Bank, as Palestinian forces have been given greater autonomy there.

Israel's military says it has removed six checkpoints controlling Palestinian movement in the past month.

On Thursday, Israel also ended night-time restrictions on Palestinian forces in four West Bank cities.

The moves seem aimed at boosting the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, correspondents say.

The Guardian UK reported the following 8 hours ago:

Israeli military commanders met with senior Palestinian security officers in Bethlehem on

Wednesday and agreed to let Palestinians operate into the night in the West Bank cities

of Ramallah, Qalqiliya, Bethlehem and Jericho.

Until now the Palestinians have worked only during the day.