A Palestinian official said on Wednesday that Israel is defying the United States by "quietly starting today constructing a new neighborhood in the Shepherd Hotel complex in East Jerusalem.
"This proves Israel's intention to thwart the U.S-mediated proximity talks," Hatem Abdul Qader, a Fatah official in charge of Jerusalem affairs told Xinhua.
Israel's Channel 10 news reported on Wednesday that construction work began in the site where Israel is planning to build 1,400 housing units for settlers.
The news report showed construction teams with micro fine drills working in the construction site.
The Jerusalem municipality approved the settlement construction in March. When known, the decision created diplomatic crisis between Israel and The United States, who asked for immediate cancellation of the order.
"These Israeli practices are destructive to the peace process," Abdul Qader added. "Jerusalem is redline that we cannot accept anyone to cross."
Palestinians say peacemaking is impossible as long as Israel is continuing settlement activities in the occupied West Bank and the eastern Arab section of East Jerusalem which they want as a future capital.
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