Jerusalem ? The United States took Israel to task Saturday for a planned expansion of Jewish homes in the portion of Jerusalem that Palestinians claim for the capital of a future state.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said such moves undermine the U.S.-backed peace talks.

Rice, while making what has become nearly a monthly trip to assess the negotiations, said Israeli housing expansions are a recurring problem. In particular, she says she will discuss the latest announcement of 1,300 new homes in east Jerusalem with every Israeli official she sees.

With peace talks under way, Rice said, now is a time to build confidence on both sides. “This is simply not helpful to building confidence,” she told reporters before arriving in the Israeli capital.