NEW U.S. MILITARY AID AWAITS ISRAELI VISIT

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has placed on hold an Israeli requestfor an additional $800 million in military aid until a visit by the defenseminister of the Jewish state. U.S. officials said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made little headway inadvancing Israel's request for the special aid, submitted last year andapproved in part by the Clinton administration. The Sharon request to thecurrent Bush administration came amid a U.S.-Israeli dispute over whetherpolitical talks should resume with the Palestinian Authority.