Biden condemns move by Israel

The Washington post

Vice President Joseph Biden, center, enters a car upon his arrival to Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, March 8, 2010. Biden arrived to Israel Monday, the first leg of a five-day tour of the Middle East. Biden's trip is the highest-level visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories yet by an Obama administration official. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner, Pool)


By Janine Zacharia
Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010


JERUSALEM -- After spending most of Tuesday celebrating what he called the "unshakable" bond between the United States and Israel, Vice President Biden ended the day strongly condemning the longtime U.S. ally for approving 1,600 new housing units in disputed east Jerusalem -- an awkwardly timed move that threatened to kill a new push for Mideast peace by the Obama administration.

The housing announcement -- affecting an area Palestinians view as their future capital -- soured Biden's efforts to re-energize the United States' relationship with Israel, which has felt snubbed by President Obama, who has yet to visit. It also came a day after Israel and the Palestinians agreed to U.S.-mediated, indirect peace negotiations after a year of no talks on Palestinian statehood...link to complete article