According to a senior Israeli source, the US made explicit its opposition to Israel’s building of Jewish communities on occupied Palestinian land that the Palestinians want for a future state during meetings this week.

When asked if the US side brought up the problem during Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s visit to Washington, where he met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other high officials, an Israeli official said, “Yes.”

“They raised it,” the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “and not in a ‘Great job, guys, go ahead'” way.

President Joe Biden’s administration has emphasized it opposes further expansion of Jewish settlements. Most countries consider such settlements illegal. Israel disputes this.

A senior Biden administration official this month said Israel is well aware of the administration’s view of the need to refrain from actions that could be seen as “provocative” and undermine efforts to achieve a long-elusive two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.