With Kadima looking like the winner in Israel’s elections – and record low turnout suggests a less than healthy democracy – the colonial mentality is still alive and well in the Jewish state:
Three organizations are busy renovating, upgrading and improving roads in the West Bank in response to the transportation problems created by the Israel Defense Forces barriers and the diversion of Palestinian vehicles to secondary roads. The transportation problems, which are having severe economic and social effects, were described extensively Haaretz this past Monday and Friday.
These three groups are the Palestinian Authority, the IDF and Palestinian local councils. They are not coordinating their repairs or construction, although the PA and the local councils need Israeli approval for works outside of Area A.
In recent months the IDF has revised its plan to create a system of roads for contiguous Palestinian traffic. Military sources say this comes from the desire to enable the best possible quality of life for Palestinians. Palestinian sources say the IDF has not officially informed the PA of the new plan.