Ahead of a White House visit by Israel's new prime minister, officials are moving ahead with new construction at a nascent Jewish settlement deep in the West Bank.

The announcement could cause friction at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting Monday with President Barack Obama. The U.S. has been urging Israel to halt settlement construction as a way to revive stalled peace talks with the Palestinians.

The new construction is set to take place at Maskiot, a former army camp where 10 families now live in trailers.

Local government head David Elhaiini says officials have begun taking bids from contractors to build infrastructure for permanent homes. He said Monday that Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the construction in July 2008.