AN Israeli plan to build new settler homes in a sensitive area near Jerusalem has passed a first hurdle, sparking fury from the Palestinians, who said building there would end all hopes of peace.
Israel's plan for construction in a strip of West Bank land outside Jerusalem called E1 has sparked a major diplomatic backlash, with experts warning it could wipe out hopes of establishing a viable Palestinian state.
"If Israel decides to start building in E1 and approves all the settlements in it, we consider it to be an Israeli decision to end the peace process and the two-state solution, which ends any chance of talking about peace in the future," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP on Wednesday.
He spoke shortly after Israeli radio stations said a defence ministry planning committee which met on Wednesday gave its green light for the plan to be deposited for public approval, pushing it one step ahead in the planning process.
The Civil Administration's planning committee "approved the program for new building in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim," public radio said.
Maaleh Adumim is a settlement some five kilometres from the eastern edge of Jerusalem.
Public radio said the committee had approved plans for 3200 homes in E1 and in annexed east Jerusalem, which would now be made available for public objections.
"For two months the public will be able to submit objections to the project and after that the debate on continuing it will continue," it said.
Army radio ran a similar report, saying the Civil Administration had "approved moving ahead with the project to build in E1 between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim."
Observers say Israeli plans to build in E1 and connect Maaleh Adumim with east Jerusalem would effectively prevent the future establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state, dooming the two-state solution.
Earlier, an Israeli official confirmed that the defence ministry committee had begun examining plans to build in E1 that have been on hold since 2005 following heavy US pressure.
"After that it will need to go through another few stages," he told AFP.
"Final approval for the plan will have to come from the political level. There won't be any bulldozers going in any time soon. It will take at least several months, if not years."
News of Israel's intention to push ahead with plans to build in E1 emerged on Friday, a day after the Palestinians won UN non-member state observer status, in what was a major diplomatic blow to the Jewish state as it tried to block the move.
It sparked an immediate outcry from top diplomats in Washington and Brussels, with at least six governments summoning the Israeli ambassador to protest at the move.
The UN warned the plan could deal an "almost fatal blow" to the two-state solution.
Earlier, Israel's Haaretz newspaper said that the committee was examining plans to build 1200 homes in the southern sector of E1 and another 2176 in the eastern part.
Construction there has been on Israel's radar since the early 1990s, but the plans were never implemented because of heavy pressure, largely from Washington.
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