Washington, Sep 5 (DPA) US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Israel's plan to expand settlements in the West Bank was regretful and 'inconsistent' with the international peace plan designed to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

'We regret the reports of Israel's plans to approve additional settlement construction,' Clinton said in a statement. 'Continued settlement activity is inconsistent with Israel's commitment under the roadmap' peace plan.

An Israeli official confirmed Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to approve plans for the construction of hundreds of new apartments in West Bank settlements. The move is a precursor to accepting US and Palestinian demands for a temporary freeze in settlement expansion.

The rare public disagreement between US President Barack Obama's administration and Netanyahu's government is indicative of the widening rift between the two sides as Obama lists an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal among his highest foreign policy priorities.

'As the president has said before, the US does not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement expansion and we urge that it stop,' Clinton said.