In a statement moments after the end of the 10-month partial freeze, he asked Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to continue seeking a "historic" deal.

Earlier, Mr Abbas warned that peace talks would be a "waste of time" unless the freeze was extended.

Jewish settlers in the West Bank are expected to resume building on Monday.

Israel says the settlements are no bar to continuing direct talks on key issues, and US negotiators have been working intensively to secure a deal.

Mr Abbas has made no public comments since the moratorium ended.

The freeze on building in the West Bank expired at midnight local time on Sunday (2200 GMT).