1.   And frequent border closures by Israel have caused shortages of cement and other building supplies.

2.   By all accounts, the border closures have become the single most damaging aspect of life under self-rule.

3.   For his part, Sharon needs to lift the devastating border closures that have caused extreme suffering among Palestinian civilians and redeploy Israeli troops away from points of conflict.

4.   He should proceed with planned easing of border closures and settlement thickening.

5.   His failure to crack down on terrorists, officials say, is what has forced the border closures.

6.   In the past, the border closure would have been automatic.

7.   Israeli troops renewed their scheduled redeployment from Arab towns in the West Bank and Israel eased its border closure.

8.   Israel will re-open the Gaza airport, end the border closure, and withdraw forces now encircling the Palestinian territories, according to the agreement.

9.   Many called on Arafat to stop security cooperation and negotiations with the Israelis, and urged a boycott of Israeli products in response to the Israeli border closures.

10.   Products could then be shipped out via the Israeli side, regardless of whether security-related border closures seal Gaza off.