Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    BERLIN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The German government Monday voiced strong opposition to an Israeli decision to build new housing units in a settlement in the West Bank.

    Denouncing the Israeli plan as "unacceptable," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said new housing activities would pose "a potential threat" to re-launching Middle East peace negotiations and could undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state.

    On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved an Israeli Housing Ministry request to build 750 housing units in Givat Ze'ev in the West Bank.

    Under the U.S.-sponsored road map peace plan, Israel is supposed to freeze the construction of settlements in the Palestinian territory.