The Israeli cabinet is reported to have endorsed a proposal by US President George Bush that could lead to the lifting of the siege on the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Israeli tanks encircled Mr Arafat's compound on 29 March as part of a West Bank offensive launched after Palestinian suicide attacks killed scores of Israelis. It is also reported the Israeli cabinet has voted to refuse co-operation with a UN fact-finding team investigating events at the Jenin refugee camp. Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres reportedly said it would now be pointless to send the mission.