U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she will press Israeli officials about settlement construction during her visit to the region.
Rice says ongoing Israeli construction in areas the Palestinians want for their future state "has the potential to harm the negotiations."
Rice's statement Sunday comes as she kicks off a visit aimed at prodding Israelis and Palestinians closer to a final peace deal.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Rice gave prominent mention to the construction issue and said she would bring it up with Livni.
Israel announced last week it would build 1,300 new housing units in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their future capital. The Palestinians say such moves undermine the talks, AP reported.