Palestinians urge US to block new settlements

Jerusalem: A senior negotiator says the Palestinian president has appealed to the US to block plans by Israel to announce new settlement construction. Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said President Mahmoud Abbas voiced his plea at a late-night meeting with senior US officials yesterday in West Bank. Abbas "asked for US intervention to stop the Israeli government from issuing new settlement decisions in order to save the peace process and the American efforts," Erekat said today. An Israeli official said the government is expected to announce new settlement construction next week. Channel 2 TV reported the plan will include hundreds of new homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem captured territories claimed by the Palestinians.