A view of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Maale Adumim is seen near Jerusalem July 25, 2013. Photo: Reuters

Palestine said Sunday that a plan to build new Israeli settlements shows that Israel is not serious about peace negotiations. Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Shtayeh said Israel’s plan to build more than 1000 houses in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem shows Israel’s intent to ignore any suggestion of establishing a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders. Shtayeh’s statement followed an Israeli Ministry announcement of construction bidding for 800 houses in East Jerusalem and 400 houses in the West Bank just 3 days before the new round of talks with Palestine.