Israel has closed off the West Bank and Gaza for at least a week for the Jewish Passover holiday.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has agreed to delay the pullout from the Gaza Strip by three weeks, ostensibly to avoid a conflict with a Jewish period of mourning.

ISRAELI troops enforcing a curfew on Palestinians during the Jewish Passover holiday killed a young Palestinian man in the West Bank city of Tulkarm yesterday, Palestinian witnesses and medics said.

ISRAEL yesterday barred a Palestinian delegation from attending a mid-east conference in London and closes three Palestinian universities — a muted response to the deadliest suicide attack in nearly a year.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has delivered a goodwill message to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the Jewish Passover holiday.