World / Arab Israeli conflict Israel Plans New Settlements Controversial announcement for 1,000 homes made as Netanyahu visits DC By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff Posted Nov 8, 2010 6:40 PM CST Copied A Palestinian woman walks nearby the Jewish neighborhood of Har Homa in east Jerusalem, Monday, Nov. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill) Plans for 1,000 new homes to be built in East Jerusalem were published in Israeli newspapers just as Benjamin Netanyahu participated in negotiations in Washington, DC, the New York Times reports. The announcements fly in the face of American and Palestinian requests for a settlement freeze in the interest of restarting peace talks, and mirror a similarly embarrassing announcement made in March, when Joe Biden was visiting Jerusalem. Israeli officials promised at the time to keep a closer watch on building plans to avoid further surprises. (More Arab Israeli conflict stories.) Report an error