Jerusalem: Israel began lifting blockades on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, setting stage for a three- way summit between US President George W Bush and Israeli and Palestinian Prime Ministers.

As a step towards implementing confidence-building measures Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised to undertake after his May 29 meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz lifted the closure on May 31 night after holding a series of telephone consultations, Israeli media reported.

An Army statement said the Israeli government had approved the lifting of the blockades of the occupied territories to begin at midnight on May 31.

Army sources, however, said that despite the lifting of the blockade, which was most recently imposed earlier in May after a wave of suicide bombings, troops would remain in the Palestinian areas.

Meanwhile, Israel has rejected an American suggestion that at May 28 summit in Aqaba, Sharon declares his aspiration for an "end to occupation," 'Ha'aretz' daily reported, adding, Washington had asked Sharon to declare the evacuation of illegal outposts.

The Bush administration wants the Aqaba summit to end with a joint Sharon-Abbas-Bush declaration, stating their commitment to the political process and to implementing the vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, the report said.

PTI