11.   Israeli opponents of unilateral separation say it would mean handing over large parts of the West Bank to the Palestinians without a peace accord.

12.   Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said that if a peace deal could not be reached with the Palestinians, Israel could pursue a plan of unilateral separation.

13.   Shtayyeh said there were measures the Palestinians could take if Israel went ahead with unilateral separation and continued to maintain the closures.

14.   The Cabinet discussed the unilateral separation plan.

15.   The plan was seen as a first step toward a unilateral separation between Israel and the Palestinians.

16.   While insisting that his goal is a peace treaty, Barak detailed his alternate plan for unilateral separation for the first time Thursday.