Israel gives go-ahead for 98 West Bank settler homes: NGO

Israel has approved the construction of 98 settler homes in the occupied West Bank and an industrial zone near Palestinian political capital Ramallah, the watchdog Peace Now said today.

"At a time when world leaders met to commemorate (former Israeli premier) Shimon Peres and the way he advocated for peace, the Israeli government has created a new obstacle to a two-state solution," a Peace Now spokeswoman said.

Peres, 93, died on Wednesday and was buried yesterday at a Jerusalem ceremony attended by many world leaders including President Barack Obama of the United States, which has tried to broker new Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.