Vote on hundreds of new Israeli homes in eastern Jerusalem cancelled - city official
A Jerusalem municipal committee cancelled plans to vote on Wednesday on approving permits for the construction of nearly 500 homes for Israelis in eastern Jerusalem, a city official said.
Hanan Rubin, a member of Jerusalem's Planning and Housing Committee, told Reuters the request to put off the vote came from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Rubin said the decision stemmed from a desire to avoid straining relations further with the Obama administration before a speech later in the day by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Israeli-Palestinian peace.
A spokesman for Netanyahu was not immediately available to comment.
