21.   El-Baz was evasive Thursday when asked about a possible settlement freeze.

22.   Haaretz said Israel and the Americans were trying to reach a formula under which Israel would agree to a temporary settlement freeze, a key Palestinian demand.

23.   Israel immediately rejected any settlement freeze.

24.   Israel endorsed the procedure for ending the violence, but objected to a settlement freeze.

25.   Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, meanwhile, said Wednesday that a settlement freeze could never be complete.

26.   Israeli media reports said efforts were under way to get Israel to agree to a temporary settlement freeze as part of the announcement Monday.

27.   Meretz wants a comlete settlement freeze.

28.   Netanyahu last week said he would continue building Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, brushing off U.S. demands for a settlement freeze.

29.   Netanyahu said last week he would continue building in the settlements, despite U.S. demands for a settlement freeze.

30.   Palestinian leaders have also warned Barak that they will not resume peace talks unless he declares a settlement freeze.