AppId is over the quota
27 September 2011 Last updated at 14:56 GMT
Gilo is built on land captured by Israel in 1967 Israel has approved the construction of 1,100 homes in the Jewish settlement of Gilo on the outskirts of Jerusalem.The move comes days after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called for full UN membership for a Palestinian state.
The US has repeatedly urged Israel to stop building settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
Almost 500,000 Jews live in settlements on occupied territory. The settlements are illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
US-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are deadlocked over the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Also on Tuesday, three UN special rapporteurs called for an immediate end to the demolition of Palestinian-owned homes and other structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
There had been a dramatic increase in the demolitions this year, they said.
"The impact and discriminatory nature of these demolitions and evictions is completely unacceptable," the rapporteurs on housing, water, sanitation and food rights said in a treatment.
"These actions by the Israeli authorities violate human rights and humanitarian law and must end immediately."
'Nice gift'The latest plan includes the construction of small housing units, public buildings, a school and an industrial zone, according to the Ynet news website.
"It's a nice gift for Rosh Hashanah [Jewish New Year]," Yair Gabay, a member of the Jerusalem planning committee, told Ynet.
The authorities have now approved the building of almost 3,000 homes in Gilo over the past two years.
The US and United Nations criticised earlier announcements of building projects.
Israel built the settlement at Gilo on land it captured in 1967. It later annexed the area to the Jerusalem municipality in a move not recognised by the international community.
Israel says it does not consider areas within the Jerusalem municipality to be settlements.
Gilo lies across a narrow valley from the Palestinian village of Beit Jala. It became a target for militants during the second Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in 2000.
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