West Bank Jewish settlements expand

In another development, Palestinian leaders have sharply attacked Mr Netanyahu for approving the construction of almost six-hundred new homes at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

A further one hundred are to be built at El Qana in the north west.

Israeli television has showed bulldozers already at work in the settlement at Efrat.

Palestinian spokesmen described the move -- together with delays over troop redeployments in the West Bank -- as a slap in the face for President Clinton and the American peace efforts.

The American Middle East envoy Dennis Ross is on the third day of his mission to the region.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service