(KUNA) -- Palestinian militants attacked an Israeli military patrol in Nablus city, the West Bank, on Monday, injuring two soldiers, according to Israel Radio. The patrol came under heavy fire while taking part in a crackdown in the old city. The Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the attack that coincided with the 42nd anniversary of the movement on Monday. During the crackdown the Israeli forces rounded up 22 Palestinian suspects in the West Bank, according to the radio.Meanwhile Israeli sources said the military would start easing restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank as from Monday. The move comes in line with the understandings reached by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas two weeks ago, according to Israeli sources. Under the decision dozens of the 600 roadblocks will be removed in the West Bank and the procedures at checkpoints will be eased to facilitate the movement of Palestinian individuals and goods in Nablus and elsewhere in the West Bank. The facilitations exclude the crackdowns and arrests in the Palestinian towns, the sources added.
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz drew a plan for removing 29 roadblocks in the area as a first phase of the easing process. However, the Israeli army refuses to remove most of the roadblocks under the pretext that Palestinian militants could take advantage and launch more attacks on Israel.