21.   Erekat said he was especially pessimistic about the troop pullout, which is being negotiated separately from the election talks.

22.   Ethiopia had insisted on a troop pullout before talks could proceed.

23.   Envoy Dennis Ross wound up four days of talks Monday night without reaching a deal on an Israeli troop pullout from the West Bank.

24.   He later said he wanted to scuttle the Hebron troop pullout.

25.   He said it included a halt to Jewish settlements, an Israeli troop pullout, final status talks and security issues.

26.   He said this included a halt to Jewish settlements, an Israeli troop pullout, final status talks and security issues.

27.   He said any move by the IRA to disarm must be accompanied by more British troop pullouts from the province and police reform.

28.   Hebron Mayor Mustafa Natche said he approved of the agreement, which allows for an Israeli troop pullout from Arab-populated areas and Palestinian elections early next year.

29.   However, Israeli peace negotiator Yossi Sarid said the squatters would not be able to stop a troop pullout and Palestinian elections.

30.   Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, and officials warn that militants among them might attack northern Israel following a troop pullout.