(Reuters) Cynthia Johnston - Israel is considering linking the Gaza Strip and West Bank with a train, bus convoys, or even a sunken motorway with no off-ramps. But Israel does not want any "safe passage" to threaten its security. A railway would cost $200 million and take at least three years to build, a Western diplomatic source said. Any link would run inside Israel for at least 35 km (20 miles). Two other options, an elevated road and a tunnel, have been largely ruled out as too expensive. The Palestinians say a sunken motorway is more cost-effective, could be built faster, and affords greater flexibility. In the meantime, both sides are looking into running escorted bus convoys until a longer-term link is ready.
2005-07-01 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive