Rice: Israel undermines Palestinian state

The persistent building of Jewish homes on disputed land by the Israel’s undermines the U.S.-backed attempt to write an Israeli-Palestinian peace draft this year and invites questions about Israel’s motives, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.

Using realistic and factual language, the visiting U.S. envoy said Israel must understand the pall its actions cast over talks and on the confidence of the United States, European nations and others that Israel is bargaining in good faith. She said the Jewish state has apparently picked up the pace of housing expansion since President Bush inaugurated negotiations with a splashy summit at Annapolis, Md.

“We should be in a position of encouraging confidence, not undermining it. No party should be taking steps at this point that could prejudice the outcome of the negotiation,” Rice said following meetings with Palestinian officials in the West Bank.

Dr. Rice further noted that Israeli actions are having a “negative effect” on the atmosphere for talks, and she stressed that the United States won’t regard any settlements Israel builds now as permanent Israeli territory.

Israel announced last week it would build 1,300 new housing units in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their future capital. The announcement brought to more than 3,000 the number of homes Israel has approved for construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank since the renewal of peace talks late last year.

The Palestinians claim both areas, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of a future independent state.

Palestinians temporarily called off peace talks earlier this year over a previous Israeli announcement of new homes in east Jerusalem.

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