Israel's approval for building 1,600 new housing units for ultra-Orthodox Jews in East Jerusalem has infuriated the Palestinians.<br /><br />Nabil Abu Rudeina, a Palestinian Authority spokesman, told the AFP news agency: "This is a dangerous decision and will hinder the negotiations."<br /><br />The Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now condemned the new project, saying it would "widen the gap with the Palestinians and the two-state solution, which risks becoming obsolete".<br /><br />According to Israel's Haaretz newspaper, some 50,000 housing units are reported to be in various stages of planning and approval on occupied land in East Jerusalem.<br /><br />Haaretz says plans for around 20,000 apartments are already in an advanced stage.<br /><br />A spokesman for the Israeli interior ministry said: "The Jerusalem District Planning Committee today approved a plan which has been in the works for over three years.<br /><br />"This is a procedural stage in the framework of a long process that will yet continue for some time. The committee meeting was determined in advance and there is no connection to US Vice-President Joe Biden's visit to Israel."<br /><br />There are still various planning hurdles for the East Jerusalem project to clear, and work is not thought likely to start for at least another two years.<br /><br />Under pressure from the US, Israel has agreed a 10-month suspension of new building in the West Bank. <br /><br />However, the moratorium excludes East Jerusalem, where the Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.<br /><br />Israel's continued expansion of settlements is one of the biggest obstacles to the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians, now suspended for more than a year despite months of US-led shuttle diplomacy.
