ISRAEL CAN'T AFFORD TO END USE OF M113s

TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Israel's military has rejected appeals to suspendthe use of a U.S.-origin armored personnel carrier vulnerable toPalestinian weaponry. Officials said the Israeli military's General Staff decided to continueusing the M113 APC in the Gaza Strip despite the destruction of two sucharmored vehicles in as many days. In both cases, the U.S.-origin APCs wereunable to withstand either mines or rocket-propelled grenades.