Us Dismayed At Israeli Building Plan For East Jerusalem

The United States says it is dismayed that Israel has authorized theconstruction of new housing units in occupied east Jerusalem.

A Palestinian boy in the yard of his house in front of a new housing development in east Jerusalem's Jewish Har Homa neighborhood, 21 Sep 2009Israel has approved construction of 900 new units in mostlyArab east Jerusalem despite objections by the United States and thePalestinians.

Speaking to reporters at the U.S. StateDepartment, spokesman Ian Kelly says the Obama administration is deeplydisappointed by the Israeli decision.

"Webelieve that neither party should engage in any kind of actions thatcould unilaterally preempt or appear to preempt negotiations. I thinkthat we find the Jerusalem planning committee's decision to moveforward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalemas dismaying," said Kelly.

U.S.officials have put pressure on the Israeli government to haltconstruction of settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem following the 1967 Middle East war in a move that is not recognized internationally.

PalestinianPresident Mahmoud Abbas says peace talks cannot resume until Israelfreezes building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

So far, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has only offered a limited reduction in new building.

Kelly says the latest move hurts U.S. efforts to get both sides back to the negotiating table.

"Thisis at a time when we are working to relaunch negotiations and webelieve that these actions make it more difficult for our efforts tosucceed. So we object to this and we object to other Israeli practicesin Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern ofevictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes," Kelly said.

About 180,000 Israelis live in Jewish settlements built around east Jerusalem.

Israel insists east Jerusalem is part of Israel and rejects efforts to restrict building there.

Palestinians want east Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state they hope to establish in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

U.S. policy says the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.