JERUSALEM — Defying U.S. and international calls to restrain home-building on disputed land, Israel said Friday that it would construct an additional 238 homes in Jerusalem neighborhoods that sit atop territory seized during the 1967 Middle East War.
The decision threw U.S.-sponsored peace talks into further doubt and ended a de facto construction freeze in East Jerusalem that had been quietly observed — though never formally declared — since March.
Palestinian officials accused Israel of trying to sabotage American efforts to salvage direct peace talks.
“This is a severe blow to the efforts by the United States and the Arab League to prevent the peace process from collapsing,” said chief negotiator Saeb Erekat. “Once again, Mr. Netanyahu has chosen settlements over peace.”
The new plans come as Palestinians are already threatening to quit peace talks over Israel’s recent resumption of housing construction in the West Bank, which Israel had temporarily restricted. A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment, referring inquires to the Housing Ministry, where officials did not return phone calls Friday.
In the past, Israel has defended its construction in disputed parts of Jerusalem, saying Israel annexed the land. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Despite pressure from the United Nations, the U.S. and others, Israel refused to extend its West Bank housing restrictions beyond Sept. 26.
Since then, the United States has been working on possible compromises — including a two-month building moratorium — to bring Palestinians back to the negotiating table, but so far Netanyahu has given no clues about whether he will accept another freeze.
The prime minister is caught between rising international pressure to demonstrate Israel’s commitment to the peace process and demands from conservatives in his coalition government, who have called the U.S. peace process futile.
The Housing Ministry is run by the Shas party, one of the coalition’s conservative members.
