PARIS (AFP) -- The United States reiterated Friday that Jewish settlements undermined Israeli-Palestinian ties after Israel announced a second project for settler homes in east Beit-ul-Moqaddas.

""We have made our views clear about settlement activity and the Israelis abiding by their roadmap commitments,"" said U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
""We understand this kind of activity does not help the atmosphere between the Israelis and the Palestinians,"" he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was accompanying President George W. Bush during his visit to Paris on Friday and was due to travel late Saturday to Beit-ul-Moqaddas for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
Jerusalem's municipality on Friday said the green light had been given for 1,300 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied and annexed east of the city.
But the U.S. spokesman added: ""It is important to keep the focus on the task"" ahead as Rice prepared for meetings.
The Palestinians have said they want east Jerusalem as the capital of a promised state and have repeatedly called the expansion of settlements the greatest obstacle to a final peace deal.