BAIT-UL-MOQADDAS Israel will not oppose a U.S. reduction of its peacekeeping forces in the Egyptian Sinai Desert as long as the U.S. role in the region remains unchanged, an Israeli official said on Monday. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman, Raanan Gissin, said President George W. Bush had raised the issue -- part of an overall U.S. plan to cut noncombatant missions worldwide -- when the two leaders met at the White House in March. "We said as long as the (American) leadership is not affected and as long as the U.S. role in the Egyptian-Israeli peace accord is not changed ... We have no objection to that, "Gissin told Reuters.

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