The United States strongly condemned the Israeli government's decision to advance a plan that would create new settlement units deep in the West Bank, the Voice of America reported.

The new plan would further damage prospects for a two-state solution, said the US State Department.

"It is deeply troubling, in the wake of Israel and the US concluding an unprecedented agreement on military assistance designed to further strengthen Israel's security, that Israel would take a decision so contrary to its long-term security interest in a peaceful resolution of its conflict with the Palestinians," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.

Source: MENA