HAMAS, HIZBULLAH SIGN COOPERATION ACCORD

NICOSIA [MENL] -- Hamas and Hizbullah have signed a cooperation accord thatpaves the way for increased Shi'ite funding to the Palestinian insurgencygroup. The accord was signed on Monday in Beirut by Hizbullah secretary-generalHassan Nasrallah and Hamas politbureau chief Khaled Masha'al. Arabdiplomatic sources said the agreement included a Hizbullah pledge toincrease financial and operational assistance to Hamas.