Israel's settlement expansion no excuse to derail peace: Livni

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Israel's plans to expand a settlement in the occupied Jordan Valley should not be used by Palestinians as an excuse to derail the Middle East peace process, the country's foreign minister said here Thursday.

"It is true that there are some complaints," Tzipi Livni told reporters after holding talks with UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

"There are some excuses that all of us can use or abuse in order to say something about the peace process or the peace negotiations," she said.

A senior Israeli defense official said last week that the Jewish state was in the process of building 20 housing units in the Jordan Valley settlement of Maskiot, in defiance of Palestinian and international calls to freeze such activity.

"As an Israeli, I can use...