Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has authorised the construction of nearly 400 new housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, his ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Barak has signed authorisations for 366 new units, and in the coming days will sign more to bring the total of new houses to 450, the statement said.

Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would approve a burst of settlement construction before considering a US-demanded halt, despite widespread international criticism that the move could endanger a resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.

Israel's main ally Washington has demanded that the Jewish state freeze all settlement activity in order to revive negotiations that were suspended in late December amid Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip. - AFP