Israeli PM Netanyahu to approve new West Bank homes

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to approve the building of new settler homes in the West Bank. Palestinian officials have called the move unacceptable, and urged Israel to freeze the settlement construction. Yang Weihan has more.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration has said it regrets the reports of Israel's plans to approve additional Jewish settlement construction. It added that continued settlement activity is "inconsistent" with Israel's commitment under the Roadmap peace initiative.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will approve hundreds of new housing units in the West Bank settlements before slowing settlement construction, his aides said on Friday.

They also said Netanyahu would be willing to consider a temporary freeze in settlement construction. But their definition of a freeze would include building the new units and finishing some 2,500 others currently under construction.

In Paris, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the approval completely unacceptable.

Mahmoud Abbas said, "For us, this idea is completely unacceptable. We are asking the Israelis to freeze the settlements and to go towards the next phase of peace talks. Regarding a meeting with Netanyahu, everything will depend on the decisions that will be taken concerning the freezing of the settlements.

According to another diplomatic source, the more Israel would get from the Arab world, the more "flexible" it would be willing to be.

In exchange for a suspension of construction, Netanyahu would expect the Arab world to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel.

The US has also been pressing Arab countries to make such a move.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  pauses during a ceremony on the first day of  the new school year in the Arab town of  Shfaram in northern Israel, Tuesday, Sept, 1.  (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)