The Israeli government has unveiled plans for a new round of settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel says it will build over 1,600 new homes in the settlement of Ramat Shlomo. The announcement came just as Vice President Joe Biden is in Israel to promote US-backed peace talks. In a statement, Biden said he “condemned” the Israeli plan, adding, “The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel.” Biden released the statement after attending a state dinner where he publicly praised Israeli officials. Israeli government spokesperson Mark Regev defended the move on the grounds Israel doesn’t consider East Jerusalem to be occupied territory.

Mark Regev: “In order to get the peace process back on track, this Israeli government, under Prime Minister Netanyahu, has gone further than any previous Israeli government in placing restrictions on growth in the settlements. But we have to be clear, from the point of view of Israel, Jerusalem is not a settlement. It’s our capital and will remain as such.”

Biden is visiting Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah today. Ahead of his visit, the Palestinian Authority official for Jerusalem, Adnan Al-Husseini, said Israel had announced the settlement construction to undermine peace talks.

Adnan Al-Husseini: “The Israeli government took the decision to destruct any attempt for this peace, and this letter should be taken by the international community and the United States that they are just wasting their time. There will be no hope, there will be no result, for these negotiations.”