The announced partial freeze had no significant effect on actual settlement construction, according to an analysis by the major Israeli daily Haaretz.

The first crisis is expected within weeks when a 10-month partial freeze on settlement building in the West Bank expires on 26 September.

Under a partial freeze, a plan can be frozen for some, but not all, current participants based on, for example, years of service, job classification, or plant location.

Part of that decrease will come from a partial freeze on hiring - excluding the police, teachers and firefighters - to save about $25 million.

Nine days ago, the government installed a partial freeze on bank accounts and exchange controls to avert a run on the banks and an evaporation of foreign reserves.

He has so far declined to extend a partial freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank due to expire next month.

He also announced a partial freeze on hiring and a moratorium on most raises.

A partial freeze on construction in East Jerusalem was imposed under the observation of U.S. consular officials, though not acknowledged by the Israeli government.

These would probably be continued in the case of a partial freeze of cooperation.

But by the spring of 1999, the country was paralyzed by strikes and the president had ordered a partial freeze on bank withdrawals, much like in Argentina today.