JERUSALEM: Israel is going ahead with plans to build more than 1,000 settler homes in the West Bank, a spokesman said yesterday, a step that drew criticism from the Palestinians and may pose a challenge to peace efforts by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Israeli military spokesman Maj. Guy Inbar said plans were advanced in the past two weeks to construct homes in the settlements of Itamar and Bruchin. More than 1,000 housing units are slated to be built and nearly 200 existing homes are expected to be granted official approval there.

The move comes amid Kerry’s ongoing efforts to corral Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace talks, which have been stalled for nearly five years. Kerry has been shuttling between the sides in recent months in hopes of finding a formula to restart negotiations.

West Bank settlement building lies at the heart of the current impasse in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, who condemned the new step.

“It’s clear that there is an Israeli escalation and it’s not the first time that they do this to challenge and embarrass the American administration,” said Nimr Hamad, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“The Palestinian position is clear. The settlement activities are illegal,” Hamad said.