By dint of a ruling passed down by the High Court of Justice, Route 443 - the main artery connecting Jerusalem and Modi'in - will be open by the end of the month to Palestinian motorists who reside in villages adjacent to the roadway. This will mark the first time in almost nine years that Palestinians will be permitted to use the highway, yet the volume of Palestinian traffic is likely to be very limited.
According to a plan developed by the Israel Defense Forces, Palestinian-owned vehicles will be subject to thorough security checks before being allowed to access the highway. Moreover, Palestinian motorists will only be permitted to drive along a limited stretch of the roadway - a section that abuts the local Arab villages and extends to a new checkpoint to be erected near the Ofer prison. They will not be allowed to use the highway to drive to Jerusalem, Ramallah or points west of the Green Line.
The High Court ruling initially drew praise from leftist organizations and human rights groups who argued it ended an unnecessary and prolonged policy of discrimination. In practice, however, it appears the ruling will effect limited change on the ground.