US disappointed at Israel's settlement move
The United States said Friday it was "disappointed" with Israel's plans for 238 new settler homes in east Jerusalem, saying it undermined US efforts to revive Middle East peace talks.
"We were disappointed by the announcement of new tenders in east Jerusalem yesterday. It is contrary to our efforts to resume direct negotiations between the parties," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters.
He said US officials had expressed their disappointment to Israeli counterparts when they were informed of the settlement plans.
When asked if US Middle East envoy George Mitchell was planning to return to the region, Crowley said: "We're still evaluating... what the appropriate next steps are. I've got nothing to announce."
The plans for new housing in the settlement neighbourhoods of Pisgat Zeev and Ramot were approved on Thursday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Ynet news website said.
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat said it proved Israel was intent on "killing" every opportunity to revive peace talks between the two sides. "Netanyahu has made his choice: settlements over peace," he said.
Middle East peace talks launched in early September by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ground to a halt within weeks after the expiry of a 10-month moratorium on the construction of new Jewish settler homes.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has refused to hold further negotiations while settlement construction in the West Bank continues and last week Arab League foreign ministers gave US negotiators a month to resolve the impasse.
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference yesterday condemned reported Israeli plans to build hundreds of new settler homes in east Jerusalem as sabotaging Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
The resumption of settlement construction was "a provocative move contemptuous of the will of the international community and an act of sabotage against international efforts to revive the peace process," OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said in a statement.
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