The Palestinian Authority and Israel arrived to an agreement to create an “overland†connection which links between the West Bank and the Gaza strip, Israeli Radio reported.
According to the radio reported that the Israeli army will escort convoys of Palestinian vehicles moving between the two areas, Israel suggested linking the two areas in the future by a railroad.
According to the Israeli online daily Haaretz, the link between the two areas has been the main issue which caused disagreements between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators.
The P.A demands focus on the “Safe Passage†between the West Bank and the Gaza strip, which was agreed upon under the Oslo Accord, but Israel never implemented it.
Recent talks between the P.A and Israel showed significant progress on economic and civil aspects of the disengagement plan.
The planned railroad would link the Eretz industrial zone in the Gaza Strip with Tarqoumia checkpoint, near the West Bank city of Hebron.
The World Bank estimated the cost of the railroads by $175 million, and that it needs three years to build.
Also, the World Bank suggested building a four-lane sunken highway in a five-meter deep trench surrounded by double fences to bar the residents from entering Israeli territories.ÂÂ
Israeli traffic would cross the highway via overpass road; the World Bank believes that this project will cost $130 million, and that it would be cheaper to operate.
