Israel approves construction of 1,100 new settler homes

Israel has approved the construction of 1,100 homes for Jews in the settlement of Gilo on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Israel's plan to build new homes in Gilo, on land captured in the West Bank, will further complicate efforts to restart peace negotiations, Reuters reports.

The approval for the settler homes comes just days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas formally requested that the UN Security Council elevate Palestine to full United Nations membership, a step opposed by Israel and the United States, which urged him to resume peace talks.

From GlobalPost in Jerusalem: Israel and Palestine are giving up on America

Abbas says that Israeli settlement building must cease as a precondition for returning to negotiations, which collapsed a year ago after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend a partial moratorium on construction, Reuters says.

BBC News reports:

The U.S. has repeatedly urged Israel to stop building settlements on occupied Palestinian land. Almost 500,000 Jews live in settlements on occupied territory. The settlements are illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

Israel says it does not consider areas within the Jerusalem municipality to be settlements, the BBC says. Gilo was built on land captured in 1967 and later annexed to the Jerusalem municipality.