Israel not to stop construction in Jerusalem: FM

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Tuesday that Israel will not stop building in Jerusalem, reported local daily The Jerusalem Post.

"We can not give in to pressure and no state would agree to limit construction in its capital," Lieberman was quoted by The Jerusalem Post as saying.

Lieberman made the remarks when top Israeli government ministers are about to convene, after a week of Jewish Passover holiday, on how to respond to the demands of U.S. President Barack Obama that Israel take several steps to push forward the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.

The United States made these requests after Israeli government gave greenlight to a 1,600 housing program in East Jerusalem during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's Middle East tour last month.

The building scheme threatened to derail the U.S.-brokered Israeli-Palestinian negotiation and draw severe criticism from the Obama administration, whose peace efforts were embarrassed by Israel's move.


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