US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticised Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank as an obstacle to peace.

Axar.az reports that the comments came following talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday.

It underlines US opposition to a key platform of Israel's new government, which aims to strengthen settlements.

Mr Blinken's visit comes in the wake of spiralling tensions after a spate of deadly attacks and a military raid.

Ten Palestinians - militants and at least one civilian - were killed in the West Bank city of Jenin on Thursday in the deadliest incident of its kind in years when Israeli forces mounted a raid against a cell which Israel said was planning to carry out an imminent attack.

The following day six Israelis and a Ukrainian were killed when a Palestinian opened fire near a synagogue in East Jerusalem, then hours later an Israeli father and son were wounded when a 13-year-old Palestinian shot at a group of people also in East Jerusalem.