W Bank settlement plan condemned

Settlements in the West bank are considered illegal in international law

There has been strong international criticism in response to reports of Israeli plans to develop a new settlement in the West Bank.

A US official said the expansion was not helpful to the peace process while UK Foreign Minister David Miliband expressed dismay at the reports.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said he was "deeply concerned" at the plan.

It has been reported that Israel is close to giving final approval to new homes at Maskiot, in the Jordan Valley.

The latest plan is to initially build 20 new homes at Maskiot which will be occupied by religious Jewish families who had previously withdrawn from Gaza.

There is still time for them, in accordance with the Annapolis, to reach agreement by the end of the year and we will keep working towards that goal Condoleezza Rice US Secretary of State

Israeli officials say that, as a former military outpost, Maskiot is not technically a new settlement.

An official was quoted as saying the plan now requires the approval of the Defence Minister, Ehud Barak.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat criticised the Israeli move. "This is undermining us, and killing and destroying the peace process," he said on Thursday.

'Divisive'

Israel originally shelved plans for construction at Maskiot following international pressure in 2006.

BBC Jerusalem correspondent Wyre Davies says the issue of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land is one of the most controversial and divisive topics in the whole Middle East peace process.

Under the terms of the Middle East peace plan known as the roadmap , the basis for current talks between Israel and the Palestinians, all settlement activity should be frozen.

The Palestinians and peace groups accuse Israel of blatantly ignoring the roadmap by continuing to build or expand settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, settling more than 430,000 people in the area, including East Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she believes there is still time for the Israelis and Palestinians to reach a peace deal by the end of the year.

The two sides are meeting for further talks in the United States next week.