WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Israel's plans to expand a settlement in disputed East Jerusalem is a bad idea, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told USA Today's editorial board.
Rice said she had called Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to register U.S. objections to the plan to build 307 housing units in the part of the city largely populated by Arabs.
Part of the peace agreement Palestinians have been seeking in order to establish their own state is that Jerusalem be partitioned so East Jerusalem could be the new capital.
Rice said she had issued an "admonition" to Israel about activities that could undermine negotiations that began in Jerusalem Wednesday.
However, Israel has said the housing expansion isn't covered by the U.S.-drafted 2003 "road map" to peace.
