71.   Netanyahu has rejected outright demands that the tunnel be closed.

72.   Netanyahu was under strong international pressure meanwhile to agree to meet Arafat in Cairo at the invitation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and to close the tunnel.

73.   Netanyahu was under strong international pressure to agree to meet Arafat Friday in Cairo at the invitation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and to close the tunnel.

74.   Netanyahu has resisted international pressure to close the tunnel.

75.   Netanyahu, who considers closing the tunnel as capitulating to violence, refuses to discuss the issue, saying it is not on the table.

76.   Netanyahu vowed never to close the tunnel and refused to be pinned down on the Hebron pullout, due to have occurred in March.

77.   Palestinian leaders backed by Arab and western governments had demanded the tunnel be closed as a first step towards resolving the crisis and resuming peace negotiations.

78.   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected during a cabinet meeting late Thursday demands from Palestinian and international leaders that the tunnel be closed to defuse the crisis.

79.   Secretary of State Warren Christopher signed onto a declaration Thursday that appeared to ask Israel to close the tunnel.

80.   The Israeli prime minister has so far refused to budge on requests for the tunnel to be closed.