U.S. wants settlement freeze as part of push toward truce

The U.S. expects Israel to declare its acceptance of "the political aspects included in the Mitchell report" as part of a "political horizon," to create the basis for the American administrations's diplomatic effort to resolve the ongoing crisis, according to messages reaching Jerusalem from Washington.

A government source said yesterday that the administration wants an Israeli declaration of a freeze on settlements, included in the Mitchell report as one of the confidence-building measures between Israel and the Palestinians. According to the message from Washington, the administration expects to hear from Israel how it plans to end Operation Protective Wall and what it proposes for renewal of the political effort.

The administration is considering several ideas, such as advancing the political aspects of the Mitchell report earlier into the cease-fire process, the Saudi initiative accepted by the Arab League, and a speedy declaration of a Palestinian state, as in the understandings hammered out by Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia, known as Abu Ala.

Sharon is slated to deliver a speech today to the Knesset in which he is expected to explain the goals of the operation, and to present Israeli proposals for political contacts in the region on the eve of Powell's arrival.