41.   Defense minister authorizes West Bank settlement expansion.

42.   Despite a declared government freeze on settlement expansion in the West Bank, the government occasionally gives permits to private construction.

43.   During the talks, she urged the Palestinians to do more to fight terror and asked Israel to temporarily halt settlement expansion.

44.   Earlier Tuesday, Cook declared that Israel must stop Jewish settlement expansion if there is to be progress in deadlocked Middle East peace talks.

45.   He also has expressed support for settlement expansion and has ruled out a full return of the Golan or negotiations on the future of Jerusalem.

46.   He also rejected claims that settlement expansion was a violation of those same peace accords which call on the sides to halt unilateral actions.

47.   He refused to give specific numbers, apparently not to invite renewed Palestinian or U.S. pressure to curb settlement expansion.

48.   He said Russia supported Palestinian independence and demanded that Israel halt Jewish settlement expansion.

49.   He said he would a lodge a complaint over the settlement expansion with the U.N. Security Council.

50.   He said settlement expansion would lead to a revival of the option of creating a Palestinian homeland in Jordan.