JERUSALEM — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Israel is making "unprecedented" concessions on West Bank settlement construction.

The U.S. administration had previously demanded Israel halt all settlement building before negotiations could resume.

But speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, Clinton said "there has never been a precondition. It has always been an issue with negotiations."

Clinton added: "What the prime minister has offered in specifics on restraints on a policy of settlements ... is unprecedented in the context of prior to negotiations."

Palestinians have contended that Netanyahu is giving very little ground on settlements.