The Obama administration has taken the unusual step of publicly rebuking Israel for the approval of 900 new homes on the West bank. A White House spokesman said the approval made its efforts to restart peace talks more difficult.
The settlements are a longstanding dispute between the Palestinians and Israel. An additional major issue, the eviction of large numbers of Palestinians from their homes on the basis of title reviews by Israeli courts, is another flashpoint between the US and Israel.
There's one particularly valid point to the US position: Why do a few houses have to take precedence over peace? It's not surprising the administration seems baffled by this logic.
