The State Department said Friday that the process of drafting a document detailing the assurances continues.

Spokesman P.J. Crowley refused to discuss specifics of the assurances but his comments were the first public confirmation from a US official that written guarantees to Israel were being prepared.

The US hopes the guarantees will persuade Israel to agree to a new freeze on settlement activity in the West Bank, in a bid to persuade the Palestinians to return to the negotiations.