51.   While such so-called security closures of the Palestinian territories have dropped sharply in the past year, their unpredictability is a source of tremendous anxiety for the Palestinians.

52.   He also blamed poverty and unemployment, exacerbated by an Israeli security closure slapped on Gaza since February, which has forced students to leave school to work.

53.   Israel has maintained a security closure for over a year on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, impeding the movement of workers and good into Israel.

54.   But Arafat denied he would have difficulty rallying the Palestinian people behind the amendment, at a time when Israel has imposed a crippling security closure on the territories.

55.   The security closure imposed by Israel on the West Bank and Gaza in February has impeded the flow of Palestinain workers and goods.