TEL AVIV, November 13, 2009 (WAFA)- The United States does not accept continued Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank, a senior U.S. state department official has said, adding that Israel's commitment to restrain settlement activity is not enough the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

In an address to the Middle East Institute, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William J. Burns said that the Obama administration does not 'accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.'

'We consider the Israeli offer to restrain settlement activity to be a potentially important step, but it obviously falls short of the continuing Roadmap obligation for a full settlement freeze,' he said.

The under secretary said the goal of the Obama administration was to achieve 'two states living side by side in peace and security.'