Israel Plans 1,000 Housing Units in East Jerusalem

An aerial view of the Har Homa District, situated in territory that Israel captured from Jordan in 1967. It would be expanded under proposed plans.

By ISABEL KERSHNER
NYT

JERUSALEM — Israel has published plans for some 1,000 new housing units in a hotly contested area of Jerusalem, advancing the approval process at a delicate time when the United States is pressing Israel to renew a freeze in settlement construction and get stalled peace negotiations with the Palestinians back on track.

The plans were published for public review in the advertising sections of local newspapers on Friday, shortly before the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, left for a trip to the United States. The advertisement of the plans, a necessary step ahead of final approval, was picked up and given prominent exposure by the Haaretz news site and other Israeli news media on Monday.

Mr. Netanyahu, who traveled to the United States for the annual convention of the Jewish Federations of North America, met Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Sunday and was expected to meet Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton later this week.

“We were deeply disappointed by the announcement of advance planning for new housing units in sensitive areas of East Jerusalem,” said the State Department spokesman, Philip J. Crowley. “It is counterproductive to our efforts to resume direct negotiations between the parties.”

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