The apartments in Beitar Illit are "an exception", the Israelis say The US has said Israel's authorisation of new building in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank does not violate a recently announced moratorium.But a state department spokesman said it was "the kind of thing that both sides need to be cautious of". Israel has promised a 10-month pause in settlement building in the West Bank, though not in East Jerusalem. It says the 112 new apartments in Beitar Illit settlement were approved ahead of the moratorium being declared. The move comes as the US announced that Israel and the Palestinians had agreed to hold indirect talks. Palestinian negotiators say the Beitar Illit announcement will place strain on an already fragile agreement to talk. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Vice-President Joe Biden arrives in Israel Meanwhile, US Vice-President Joe Biden has arrived in the region, becoming the highest-ranking US official to visit since President Barack Obama took office.[Read more...]