JERUSALEM, July 16 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed U.S. President George W. Bush's call on Monday for revived peace talks and an international conference on the conflict.

The Islamist group Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip last month, accused Bush of planning a "crusade" against the Palestinian people. Abbas adviser Nabil Amr said Abbas saw Bush's speech in Washington as "opening a new door that would lead to reviving peacemaking", a reference to final status issues such as the fate of Jerusalem, borders and Palestinian refugees.

Olmert's spokeswoman, Miri Eisin, said Bush's initiative "adds to the momentum" of bilateral talks already under way between Olmert and Abbas. The two leaders met earlier in the day in Jerusalem.

Eisin said the proposed conference could be "an excellent umbrella to support the moderate Palestinians and to give a real push" to those bilateral talks.

Eisin said Saudi Arabia and other Arab states that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel should take part in the conference. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri, speaking in Gaza, accused Bush of outlining "a plot to launch a crusade against the Palestinian people".

"We call upon all Arab countries to stand firm against these threats," he said.

AlertNet news is provided by