Israel's Netanyahu urges calm over row with Washington

Occupied Jerusalem: Israel's prime minister is urging calm following another stern rebuke from Washington over plans to build 1,600 colony homes in the Occupied east Jerusalem.

Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday "not to get carried away and to calm down" over the crisis with the US.

News of the construction plan emerged during Vice-President Joe Biden's visit to Israel last week.

Biden condemned the plan, which enraged the Palestinians. He later appeared to try to put aside the row in the interest of advancing peacemaking.

A day later, however, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called the plans "a deeply negative signal."

Netanyahu has not indicated he would reverse the plans.