Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is expected to propose to the Obama administration a three-month freeze on settlement growth in response to growing US pressure, Israel's Army Radio reported on Sunday. Barak, who will meet US Middle East envoy George Mitchell in New York on Monday, will offer the freeze on contraction, or what has been referred to as “natural growth” as a compromise to the US, though Barak has declined to confirm or deny the report.

“The issue at hand hasn't been fully finalized yet,” he told reporters before a cabinet meeting. “The issue of the settlements is one of several topics in our dialogue with the United States.” According to Israeli sources, the proposed freeze would not apply to projects already well underway that include some 2,000 buildings - principally public buildings - in the settlement blocs.

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