Updated on
Summary
Israel triggered a fresh rift with Washington over settlement building by approving the building of 900 homes for Jews on West Bank land it occupied in a 1967 war and annexed to its Jerusalem municipality. The White House said it was dismayed and added that Israel was undermining Obama's efforts to resume peace talks with Palestinians stalled since December.At a time when we are working to relaunch negotiations, these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.In his statement, Gibbs also said the United States objected to continued evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.The British government also criticized the plan to expand the sprawling neighborhood of Gilo, where about 40,000 Israelis live. The Foreign Secretary has been very clear that a credible deal involves Jerusalem as a shared capital, a British statement said. Expanding settlements on occupied land in east Jerusalem makes that deal much harder. So this decision on Gilo is wrong and we oppose it. Nabil Abu Rdaineh, aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel's move destroys the last chances for the peace process. Abbas has said peace talks stalled since December may resume only once Israel freezes settlement construction.
