New panel aims to settle Israeli, Palestinian business disputes

By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli and Palestinian businessmen, who sometimes have to exchange suitcases of cash for goods at military checkpoints, will soon be able to settle any commercial disputes on neutral ground. An Israeli former peace negotiator, Oren Shachor, and Palestinian tycoon Munib al-Masri have founded the Jerusalem Arbitration Center, in an rare example of cooperation aimed at bypassing the political pitfalls of decades of conflict. The center, inaugurated on Monday, aims to enhance bilateral trade between Israel and the occupied West Bank now at an annual $4 billion. The private initiative has received a grant from the Israeli government and is supported by the Palestinian Authority, organizers said.

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