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Will new trade hall bring forth better Palestinian-Israeli economic relations?

Economic relations between Israelis and Palestinians might be on their way to seeing improvement, but businessmen, mostly Palestinians, are still treading carefully.
A lorry passes through the Israeli Tarqumiya checkpoint in the occupied West Bank near the town of Hebron on March 24, 2008. As of last year all goods coming arriving or leaving the southern West Bank pass through the thorough security checks at Tarqumiya checkpoint. AFP PHOTO/MEHDI FEDOUACH (Photo credit should read MEHDI FEDOUACH/AFP/Getty Images)
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In an unprecedented event on Sept. 21, the first joint trade hall between Israelis and Palestinians opened near Ephraim crossing, the main crossing for the transfer of Israeli goods into the territory of the Palestinian Authority (PA). It is located near the cities of Tulkarm and Qalqilya, and it is one of the most important crossings between Israel and the PA through which 900 trucks pass every day.

The Israeli newspaper TheMarker published on Sept. 20 that the hall is run by the Israeli crossings authority, and it allows Israeli and Palestinian business owners to work together in a neutral place, without entering either the Palestinian territories or Israel. It is one of three halls to open in upcoming years.

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