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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Israel to expand West Bank homes | Israel to expand West Bank homes |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Israel has officially approved the construction of nearly 400 new homes in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli defence ministry has announced. | Israel has officially approved the construction of nearly 400 new homes in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli defence ministry has announced. |
| It says the decision to build 366 housing units has been authorised by Defence Minister Ehud Barak. | It says the decision to build 366 housing units has been authorised by Defence Minister Ehud Barak. |
| This is the first new government-approved construction project in the West Bank since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu came to power in March. | |
| It comes despite a US pressure to halt building at settlements. | It comes despite a US pressure to halt building at settlements. |
| Palestinians have ruled out resumption of peace talks with Israel until a complete freeze to the settlements. | |
| The settlement issue is expected to be discussed when Mr Netanyahu's aides meet US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, later this week. | |
| Close to 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem. | |
| The settlements are illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. |