Palestinian leader condemns Israeli settlement expansion

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-18-2009 08:54

The Palestinian leadership has slammed Israel's plan to expand Jewish settlements on the West Bank by up to 2,500 homes.

The Palestinian chief negotiator warned on Tuesday that the Israeli plan will hinder the peace process and will not allow peace negotiations to continue.

Israeli police guard and a Palestinian family watch the  demolition of their house which was built without  permission in Isawiyya, on February 4, 2009. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Monday called on Israel to halt settlement expansion and said he would not start from  scratch in peace talks with the Jewish state's next  government.(AFP/File/Ahmad Gharabli)

According to Israeli media reports, the government has approved the seizure of 1.7 million square meters of land to expand Efrat settlements near the city of Bethlehem.

Earlier the same day, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also warned that the building of new Jewish settlements in the area would feed what he called "the reasons of violence and conflict."

He also noted that the new Israeli decision will be a challenge for the international community and the new U.S. administration.

Editor:Du Xiaodan