Special report: Mideast peace conference    

    RAMALLAH, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Israel to stop the expansion of the Jewish settlement of Har Homa between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, an aid to Abbas said Thursday.

    Nabils Abu Rudeineh told reporters in Ramallah that President Abbas called on Israel to stop the expansion of the settlement in the West Bank and to stop its military offensive against the Gaza Strip.

    Since Annapolis peace conference was held last week, 27 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip, 24 of them are Hamas militants. 15 of them were killed in aerial attacks and six were killed in artillery shelling and three were shot.

    On Dec. 2, Israel Land Administration published tenders for building 307 new housing units in the settlement of Har Homa, which the Palestinians call Jabal Abu Ghuneim.

    "The decision to expand the settlement and the killing of 27 Palestinians are a slam on the face of Annapolis peace conference," said Abu Rudeineh, adding "what Israel is doing is a violation to the roadmap peace plan."

    He also added that "Israel is till considering the same policy, where expansion of settlements and seizing lands are still on the top of its political agendas, even if this would be on the expense of the peace process."