Defying Secy. of State Albright's plea (9/11), PM Netanyahu anounces approval of plan to expand the West Bank settlement of Efrat by 300 units. State Dept. spokesman says that the decision is not "consistent with the environment [Albright] hoped to create." (MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/25; ITV 9/25, IDF Radio, JP 9/26 in WNC 9/30; CSM, NYT 9/26; YA 9/28 in WNC 9/30; MM 9/29; PR 10/3)
Egyptian pres. Mubarak returns fr. 3-day visit to Russia. (MENA 9/24 in WNC 9/25)
Turkish FM Ismail Cem, Israeli FM Levy meet in New York. Both men express concern over reports that Russia has agreed to sell Syria long-range S-300 missiles. (WT 9/24; Bayrak Radio [Nicosia] 9/25 in WNC 9/26)
PA arrests 20 suspected Hamas mbrs., tightens security around jailed Hamas activists. (WT 9/25; ITV 9/26 in WNC 9/30)
Attorneys report that the number of Palestinian administrative detainees at Israel's Megiddo prion has doubled to 400 in the last 2 mos. (LAW 9/24)
Turkish military offical confirms that 15,000 Turkish troops, with tanks, over 100 armored vehichles, entered n. Iraq over the past 4 days to attack PKK forces. (NYT 9/25; MM, WP 9/26; MEI 10/10) (see 6/19)