1.   Already, American mediators have helped the parties agree to a cease-fire and to the basic principles of a settlement.

2.   American mediator Dennis Ross left Israel Monday night, officially to hold consultations in Washington with Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

3.   American mediators can serve here to bridge the gap.

4.   American mediators want to turn that around.

5.   An American mediator is to resume talks this week.

6.   As envisioned by Netanyahu, the idea would be to gather Israeli and Palestinian negotiators and American mediators in some isolated location with orders to negotiate until done.

7.   Dennis Ross, the chief American mediator, has been in Jerusalem this past week preparing for the meeting.

8.   Dennis Ross, the American special mediator, is due to arrive in the region by the weekend.

9.   Despite the attack, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met with the American mediator in the evening to try to hammer out a cease-fire.

10.   Even Palestinians with an affinity for Americans and Western tastes feel cheated by American mediators.