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Thu 03 Mar 2010Biden critical of settlement move ahead of key talks
YESTERDAY’S VISIT to Ramallah by US vice-president Joe Biden turned into an exercise in damage limitation following Israel’s announcement on Tuesday that 1,600 new homes would be built for Jews in east Jerusalem.
Mr Biden made clear Washington’s anger over the Israeli move. “It is incumbent on both parties to build an atmosphere of support for negotiations and not to complicate them . . . the decision by the Israeli government to advance planning for new housing units in east Jerusalem undermines that very trust, the trust that we need right now in order to begin profitable negotiations.”
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