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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The announcement came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks in the White House with President Barack Obama.
Israeli public radio said the Jerusalem authorities had given preliminary approval to Moskowitz's project last July, and last week gave the final go ahead to tear down the Hotel Shepherd and begin construction of the apartments.
A Jerusalem city spokesman decried as "provocations" attempts to use the announcement to damage Netanyahu's visit to the United States.
"Once the construction permits have been paid for they are automatically issued," the spokesman said on public radio.
Netanyahu has shown no signs of caving in to US demands to halt the construction of new settler homes in east Jerusalem.
The announcement on March 9, as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel, that 1,600 settler homes were to be built elsewhere in east Jerusalem led to what some analysts have said is the worst row between the allies for years.
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Israeli public radio said the Jerusalem authorities had given preliminary approval to Moskowitz's project last July, and last week gave the final go ahead to tear down the Hotel Shepherd and begin construction of the apartments.
A Jerusalem city spokesman decried as "provocations" attempts to use the announcement to damage Netanyahu's visit to the United States.
"Once the construction permits have been paid for they are automatically issued," the spokesman said on public radio.
Netanyahu has shown no signs of caving in to US demands to halt the construction of new settler homes in east Jerusalem.
The announcement on March 9, as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel, that 1,600 settler homes were to be built elsewhere in east Jerusalem led to what some analysts have said is the worst row between the allies for years.
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