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Measures Taken by Israel in Support of Developing the Palestinian Economy and Socio-Economic Structure
(Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) The macroeconomic situation continued to improve in the West Bank and Gaza. Real GDP growth in the first half of 2010 (compared to the first half of 2009) is estimated by the IMF at 9% for the West Bank and 16% for Gaza. Since April 2008, 409 roadblocks have been removed throughout the West Bank. Since the beginning of 2010, 60 roadblocks have been removed. Just 16 checkpoints remain in the West Bank, all operating as "normally open." In the first half of 2010, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority NIS 2,299 million, compared to NIS 2,029 million in the parallel period of 2009 and NIS 1,865 million in the parallel period in 2008. These funds come from import taxes, VAT and purchase taxes, and excise taxes collected by Israel on behalf of the PA. A number of environmental infrastructure projects are being implemented in the West Bank including a waste disposal site for around 700,000 inhabitants in the southern West Bank near Bethlehem and Hebron funded by the World Bank; a waste disposal site near Ramallah funded by the German Development Bank KfW; a waste water treatment plant to serve Nablus funded by KfW; and a waste disposal site serving Jenin, Tulkarem, Kalkilya and Nablus in the northern West Bank, enabling the closure of 90 pirate sites, funded by the World Bank.