Downing Street has distanced itself from American support for expansion of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian West Bank.

The Israeli government has announced plans to build another 1,500 settler homes.

The British government, in a rare departure from Washington, positioned itself alongside its European Union partners on the issue.

A Downing Street spokesman said yesterday: "Our position is consistent with the statement put out by the European Union last week, and our view is that the Israelis should freeze all settlements."