31.   And as long-stalled peace efforts with Syria move forward, many Israelis fear territorial concessions could cost them water as well.

32.   As a soldier, he is prohibited from expressing an opinion, but his deep involvement in the peace talks suggests he is a moderate who favors territorial concessions.

33.   Associates have raised the possibility of limited territorial concessions mandated under the U.S.-brokered Wye River accord, never fully implemented by Barak.

34.   At the same time, they have urged the Bush administration to be more aggressive in pushing for a settlement based on Israeli territorial concessions.

35.   Balloting in May instead of October could constrain Israel in making territorial concessions the voters might disapprove.

36.   Barak has promised to take a more moderate stance than Netanyahu and has not rejected outright the idea of a Palestinian state or territorial concessions in talks with Syria.

37.   Barak lost his majority in parliament over the territorial concessions he offered to the Palestinians at the Mideast summit at Camp David, Maryland, in July.

38.   Barak is under pressure from conservative Israelis, who say the territorial concessions he is contemplating are too far-reaching to be achieved without further debate in the parliament.

39.   Barak is struggling for support from parties in his coalition who oppose territorial concessions to the Palestinians.

40.   But Netanyahu is facing opposite pressure as well, with hardline members of his governing coalition threatening to bring down the government if the territorial concessions are too great.