Palestinians criticises new Israeli settlement expansion

Israel approved the expansion of a West Bank settlement near Ramallah, which has incited strong opposition from Palestinians who deem it a blow to the move in reviving the stalled peace negotiations. The permission of building 300 new houses in Beit El settlement came a few days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a freeze on settlement constructions in the West Bank, which the media said meant to support U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in his attempts to rekindle the peace process. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator told Xinhua "The new plans show the Israeli government's insistence to destroy the remains of the peace process completely and forever," adding that "This is a blow to the efforts of Kerry and all international parties who work on launching a meaningful peace process." The peace talks between the two sides were halted in 2010 over a dispute on the settlement activities. The Palestinians seek to establish a state in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with its capital in East Jerusalem.