Israeli leader pledges to build in settlement and annex it

MAALEH ADUMIM, West Bank — Israel’s prime minister Tuesday pledged to build thousands of new homes in one of the West Bank’s biggest Jewish settlements and annex it to Israel.

The comments drew an angry condemnation from the Palestinians and created a new test for the Trump administration, which has been working for over eight months to restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to Maaleh Adumim that he was announcing a period of “enhanced development.”

“We will build thousands of housing units here,” he said. “We will add the industrial zone needed and the expansion needed to allow for the advanced development of this place.”

“This place will be part of the state of Israel,” he added.

Netanyahu gave no specifics or timetable, suggesting that his comments might have been him playing to his nationalistic base.

Facing a series of corruption investigations, Netanyahu has stepped up his hard-line rhetoric in recent weeks with attacks on the media and appeals to his core supporters. This has included two other speeches in West Bank settlements where he vowed never to uproot any of them.

Meanwhile Tuesday, a new round of Palestinian reconciliation talks experienced its first sign of trouble as the Hamas militant group said it would not give up its vast weapons arsenal, putting it at odds with both the rival Fatah movement and Israel.