21.   Arafat was visiting the Persian Gulf region Monday, hoping to garner support for his plans to declare statehood.

22.   Arafat has planned to declare statehood Tuesday, the end of the five-year period of autonomy outlined in an interim peace accord with Israel.

23.   Arafat said he would declare statehood by the deadline, regardless of whether a peace agreement with Israel has been reached.

24.   But at the same time, he said Arafat must renounce plans to declare statehood and take steps to end the violence in the region.

25.   But at the same time, he told reporters, Arafat must renounce plans to declare statehood and take steps to end the violence in the region.

26.   But new acrimony arose this week when Netanyahu said he would walk away from the peace agreements if Arafat unilaterally declares Palestinian statehood in May.

27.   Clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians Tuesday marked the day Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had promised to declare statehood.

28.   Despite the apparent progress, Qureia said Thursday that the Palestinians were determined to declare statehood in the West Bank and Gaza in May.

29.   During the Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu told his ministers that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek was also pressing Arafat to hold off on declaring statehood.

30.   During the Sunday meeting, Netanyahu told his Cabinet that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek was also pressing Arafat to hold off on declaring statehood.