American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking hours after Peace Now said that building is booming in Judea and Samaria, reiterated her condemnation of the construction. "I think it's no secret, and I have said it to my Israeli counterparts, that I don't think that settlement activity is helpful," Rice said. She added that "anything that undermines confidence between the parties ought to be avoided."
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni disagreed, saying that "the peace process is not, and should not be, affected by any kind of settlement activities," which she added have been reduced.