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July 25, 2008 5:54:26 PM CDT

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Palestinians Stand to Benefit in Blair Deal

Posted May 13, 08 11:00 AM CDT in World 

(Newser) – Tony Blair announced an economic deal today between Israel and the Palestinians aimed at boosting business in the West Bank, the Times of London reports. The agreement, the first brokered by the former British PM in his role as Middle East peace envoy, will see Israel remove four military checkpoints and withdraw security forces—seen as a key step toward Palestinian statehood.

The centerpiece of the accord is a development package for Jenin, a West Bank city larger than the entire Gaza Strip, which will host a business park and other economic and social projects. Though both sides greeted the plan with optimism, much depends on the reaction of the Israeli army, which is reluctant to remove checkpoints for fear of suicide bombings.

Source Times (UK)

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Sitting under a portrait of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Middle East Quartet envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is seen during a meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas, not seen,...   (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Mideast quartet envoy Tony Blair, center, gestures as he exits a car during a visit to the West Bank town of Jenin, Wednesday, May 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas)
Middle East Quartet envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, waves upon his arrival to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' headquarters for a meeting, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday,...   (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, working as a Quartet envoy since he left Downing Street last summer, attends a meeting of Middle East peace Quartet, Friday, May 2, 2008 in London. The Middle...   (AP Photo/Leon Neal, Pool)
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