Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, yesterday urged Israel not to undermine peace efforts with the Palestinians after a report found it had almost doubled its settlement building in the West Bank this year.

Ms Rice, who is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories in a bid to spur progress in the faltering peace talks, said: "I think it's no secret, and I have said it to my Israeli counterparts, that I don't think that settlement activity is helpful."