The report reflects donor concerns at the need for GOI to do more to facilitate the work of humanitarian agencies, and to permit the free movement of Palestinian officials vital to the reform process. It also underlines that closure remains by far the most significant factor affecting the Palestinian economy, and the Government of Israel is urged to ease closure in ways compatible with its security requirements. In this regard, the Bank welcomes GOI’s decision to resume the transfer of PA tax revenues and to issue more permits for Palestinians to work in Israel as positive steps.

For an Arabic version of the above:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/NEWS/Resources/pr030503-ar.pdf

For a summary of the report, see Two Years of Intifada, Closures and Palestinian Economic Crisis (46K PDF) http://siteresources.worldbank.org/NEWS/Resources/pr030503-report.pdf

A complete version of the report will be available at a later date at: http:www.worldbank.org/we

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