71.   And Arafat made a new appeal for Israel to lift the closure of the Palestinian territories.

72.   But Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres on Sunday rejected appeals from some ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting to lift the closure, Israeli radio said.

73.   But Peres told the meeting that despite the pleas from the Palestinians he would not lift the closure of the territories which have caused crippling hardship to the people.

74.   Egypt meanwhile was to issue an appeal on behalf of Arab countries for Israel to lift the closure.

75.   Erakat said the Palestinians had proposed their own agenda, including demands that Israel lift the closure of the Palestinian territories imposed after the suicide attacks.

76.   The Palestinian Authority has demanded that the closure be lifted.

77.   There was no word on when the army would totally lift the closure imposed last Wednesday as part of a manhunt for wanted HAMAS militants.

78.   Israel already lifted closures of the Palestinian towns of Jericho and Bethlehem over the weekend in a bid to ease tensions during the Erez talks.

79.   Israel on Friday partially lifted its closure of the autonomous areas so that Palestinians could receive medical treatment and medicines, an army spokesman said.

80.   Israeli authorities also partially lifted the closure of the West Bank and autonomous Gaza Strip imposed after the killing.