TEL AVIV, November 17, 2009 (WAFA)- Despite US pressure to cease building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem neighborhoods, the Construction and Planning Committee of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem  on Tuesday afternoon approved the building of an additional 900 housing units  in the Jewish settlement of Gilo , the Israeli daily Jerusalem Post reported..

Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai signed the approval for the expansion of the southeast Jerusalem neighborhood.

Following appeals by US Mideast envoy Senator George Mitchell and his team to freeze the plan, the Israeli Mayor  of Jerusalem Nir Barkat said he refused to be part of a halt to Jewish and Arab construction in west or east Jerusalem.