News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Israel is not providing enough "good will" measures to bolster the standing of  Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, according to United Nations Middle East Envoy Michael Williams. Israel has drastically reduced the number of roadblocks and checkpoints in Judea and Samaria despite the failure of the PA to curtail terrorism, and it also has freed more than 250 terrorists and prisoners and granted amnesty to wanted terrorists.

However, Williams said these measures are too little and too prolonged. He complained that freedom of movement in Judea and Samaria "to a very considerable extent does not exist." Despite previous "goodwill" measures, he expressed concern that "we have not seen further steps."

Williams also blamed Israel for closing the Karni crossing into Gaza but did not note that the closure was partly because of the failure of Hamas to guarantee that no terrorists attacks would be carried out in the area.