Hundreds more Israeli houses for West Bank

Israel will begin building another 533 housing units in the West Bank next year, an official said today, the latest indication that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is working to strengthen West Bank settlements while pushing ahead with a Gaza pullout plan.

The announcement came on the heels of an apparent shift in US policy regarding West Bank construction. Washington indicated over the weekend that it backs the expansion of large West Bank settlements Israel wants to hold onto under a final peace deal.