Defense Minister Ehud Barak leaves for the United States on Monday as he prepares for a meeting with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell. Ahead of Barak�s departure, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Barak will convene, along with Ministers Lieberman, Begin, Ya�alon and Meridor to formulate Israel�s position.

The daily Yisrael HaYom reports that a �senior political source involved in preparations for the meeting� quoted anonymously stated, �Israel is fed up with demands for a building freeze in the settlements as if this is all there is�.

Israel is expected to demand that if Jerusalem agrees to a construction freeze for a limited period of time, the Arab partners comply with demands as per the prime minister�s Bar Ilan address, namely PA recognition of Israel�s legitimate right to exist as a Jewish state.
Yisrael HaYom also reports that when asked about a Yediot Achronot report appearing on Sunday in which the senior minister was quoted as willing to agree to a three-month settlement construction freeze, Barak stated �the matter has not yet been decided. The matter is in its infancy stage. Our relationship with the United States is of paramount importance�.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)