ISRAEL HAS ANNOUNCED plans to push ahead with the construction of 1,300 new homes for Jewish settlers in the disputed area of East Jerusalem, despite fierce opposition from Palestinians.

The plans have just been made public, which means that they will need to pass through another stage before construction begins, Euronews reports. Israel’s Interior Ministry has said that construction may not begin for several years, however the Palestinian Authority says that the move shows there is no real commitment to the peace process.

Euronews quotes Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Shaath as saying:

I really think that this is an act to be condemned, this is a show of defiance of the international community, of the United States government and of the peace process.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, told CNN “We condemn with the strongest possible term this Israeli decision,” adding:

The only thing that you see going on the ground is settlement activities at the expense of peace.

Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority began in September, but ran aground shortly afterwards when a 10-month moratorium on settlement-building expired and Israel did not move to extend it.

Al Jazeera quotes an Israeli NGO Peace Now, which said the the announcement was:

A calculated attempt by Netanyahu to torpedo peace talks and also avoid blame, by forcing the Palestinians to be the ones to walk away from the negotiation table.

The European Union has condemned the settlement announcement, Ha’aretz reports. EU foreign policy commissioner Catherine Ashton said:

This plan contradicts the efforts by the international community to resume direct negotiations and the decision should be reversed. Settlements are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible.

The United Nations “expressed concern at the resumption of settlement activity” and the United States, too, has expressed deep disappointment in the news. Reuters quotes State department spokesman PJ Crowley as saying: ”It is counterproductive to our efforts to resume direct negotiations between the parties”.

Crowley added that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was expected to discuss the matter in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in New York on Thursday.

When asked about the issue, Netanyahu said to reporters:

You know, President Clinton and I have a lot of things to discuss, but this particular issue I’m going to discuss, I’m sure, with Mrs Clinton on Thursday, so you can ask me then.