US Criticism of Israeli Settlements is 'Against American Values', Says Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the U.S. criticism of of Israeli settlement construction. In an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation", Netanyahu said that he did not agree to any  restrictions on where Jews could live  adding that  Arabs and Jews of Jerusalem should be able to buy houses wherever they want.

He also said that he was baffled by the U.S. condemnation of the project.

 "It's against the American values. And it doesn't bode well for peace," he said. "The idea that we'd have this ethnic purification as a condition for peace, I think it's anti-peace," he said, reports the Associated Press.

Last week, the US had warned Israel that the new project would alienate Israel from its closest friends. The U.S. also raised doubts over Israel's commitment in seeking peace with the Palestinian people.

Under the new settlement plan, Israel intends to build 2,600 new homes in East Jerusalem. A Jerusalem city official signed the final go- ahead last week for construction of the houses in east Jerusalem.

On the other hand, Netanyahu supported the U.S. decision to launch airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. He said that Israel was ready to help U.S. in every way, reports Fox News.

Elaborating on the different militant groups in Middle East, Netanyahu said that the Islamic State, Hamas and Iran are competing among themselves to be the leading militant Islamic group in the region. He said that the U.S. and Israel face great danger if weapons of mass destruction come in the possession of the militants, reports Fox News.