November 12, 2003	Wednesday	Ramazan 16, 1424

TEL AVIV, Nov 11: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Tuesday he had ordered an easing of restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the eve of the investiture of a new Palestinian government.

Mr Sharon told reporters he had issued the orders “as I am aware that the situation there is difficult”, but warned that such a move carried risks.

“I have a strong desire to implement humanitarian measures rapidly but our problem is that as we take important steps to ease the situation and open the roadblocks, terrorist actions will increase,” he added.

He did not give any details of the orders that follow a recent decision to allow thousands of Palestinians to return to work in Israel and lift travel restrictions throughout much of the West Bank.

Mr Sharon also told a meeting of deputies from his Likud party on Monday that Israel must “ease the closure or risk provoking the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, which would force us to take administrative responsibility for 3.7 million Palestinians”, a source close to the premier said.

“Israel does not want to face accusations from abroad that it is provoking the collapse of the Palestinian Authority”, he said, adding that “the chaos would play into the hands of (veteran leader Yasser) Arafat”.

Ariel Sharon was speaking before the expected investiture of his Palestinian counterpart Ahmed Qorei’s government at a parliamentary session on Wednesday.

Both sides have indicated they are willing to resume official top-level contacts, which have been frozen for nearly three months.

The internationally-backed roadmap has stalled completely since Israel severed relations with the Palestinians after a massive suicide bombing of a bus on Aug 19.—AFP