51.   Settlement building arose as an issue in mid-December when settlers tried to enlarge the West Bank Jewish enclave of Efrat.

52.   Settlement building arose as an issue in mid-December when settlers tried to enlarge the Jewish enclave of Efrat in the West Bank.

53.   Shai Bazak, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel had made no commitment to stop settlement building.

54.   Settlements are also a subject of conflict with the U.S. government, which opposes new settlement building and has withheld some loan guarantees because of settlement construction near Jerusalem.

55.   That brought an immediate protest from the Palestinian side, which insisted that talks must deal with political issues such as Israeli settlement building.

56.   The Clinton administration has reportedly offered a package of ideas including a six-month freeze on Jewish settlement building.

57.   The Defense Ministry, which has to authorize settlement building, said in a statement that no new settlements are under construction.

58.   The first of many five-year plans for Palestinian autonomy withered when Israel expanded settlement building.

59.   The Palestinian Cabinet warned Saturday that Mideast peace was doomed unless the United States got more involved and forced Israel to freeze Jewish settlement building.

60.   The Palestinians have demanded a halt to settlement building and implementation of the Wye accord to revive the stalled peace process.