Palestinians count on donors' billions for statehood

Palestinians are relying on world donors to pledge almost six billion dollars in Paris on Monday to bankroll an ambitious three-year development project underwriting their promised state.
While asking the world's richest nations to get out their cheque books, the Palestinian Authority will also emphasise that their plans will come to nothing unless Israel eases restriction on movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In essence, the Palestinians will use the donors' conference, to be attended by 90 delegations, as a chance to widen international involvement in the peace process with Israel that both sides resumed in the US city of Annapolis.
"The Paris conference is part of the continuity from Annapolis. We are not asking the world's countries to only give us economic support. They should also have a political role," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told AFP.
"To help the Palestinian economy function and develop, Israel should dismantle the checkpoints between towns and villages in the West Bank. On our side, we will continue to work to strengthen security," he said.
According to the United Nations, Israel operates more than 550 military checkpoints in the occupied West Bank, considerably limiting movement between different Palestinian towns and villages.