The United States on Friday “strongly” opposed Israel’s plans to build new settlements in occupied Palestinian territories after Israeli officials said they would approve 4,000 new housing units in the West Bank. The State Department’s deputy spokesperson, Jalina Porter, said that the US was aware of Israel’s decision to advance new West Bank settlements to May 12. “We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements which exacerbates tensions and undermines trust between the parties. Israel’s program of expanding settlements deeply damages the prospect for a two-state solution,” Porter said. The US Ambassador to Israel, Thomas Nides, told American news site Axios that “he and other Biden administration officials have made it clear to the Israeli government that the administration is opposed to new building in the settlements and asked it not to move ahead with it.” Israeli officials told Biden administration officials that if no new building was approved in the settlements, the government could collapse due to the fragile state of the coalition, Axios reported.