U.S. REJECTS ISRAEL INVASION OF GAZA

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has rejected an Israeli request forthe right to invade the Gaza Strip after a unilateral withdrawal. U.S. officials said the Bush administration refused to approve Israel'sright to invade the Gaza Strip should the area be used as a staging groundfor Palestinian attacks against the Jewish state. They said Prime MinisterAriel Sharon sought a written commitment by President George Bush that theUnited States would understand such a military response in any Israelieffort to halt Palestinian attacks from the Gaza Strip.