Palestinian presidential election frontrunner Mahmoud Abbas continues his election campaigns on Dec. 28, 2004.Israel will allow the Palestinian front-runner Mahmoud Abbas to visit east Jerusalem as part of his campaign for Jan. 9 elections for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) chairman if Abbas decides to do so. (Xinhua/AFP file photo)

Israel will allow the Palestinian front-runner Mahmoud Abbas to visit east Jerusalem as part of his campaign for Jan. 9 elections for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) chairman if Abbas decides to do so, the Ha'aretz daily said Monday.

But it is still unclear how Israel would react if Abbas decides to include the Temple Mount on his itinerary, said the daily.

Abbas is considering campaigning in Jerusalem and is expected to make a final decision in the next two days, his aides said Sunday."Although the issue has been studied, no decision has been made on this matter," the aides said about a possible Temple Mountvisit.

Both the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's bureau and the Jerusalem police said they had not received any request from Abbasor his representatives regarding a visit to Jerusalem.

Nonetheless, Fatah activists in east Jerusalem are feverishly preparing for the possible visit of their movement's official candidate.

Jerusalem police said they would carry out any decision the prime minister makes on the matter.

Police officials decided in a meeting last Thursday that no processions are allowed to take place and no posters can be displayed in public areas in Jerusalem.

However, the municipality has agreed to set up for-pay bulletin boards throughout the city so that campaign notices can be displayed.

In addition, election rallies can be held in public with apermit while in private homes without a permit.Police will also ease restrictions on any of the 5,376 Jerusalemvoters who want to vote outside the city.

Abbas aides said they were considering holding election ralliesin a Jerusalem suburb such as A-Ram in north Jerusalem or Abu Disin the east, or in an East Jerusalem hotel.

All seven candidates for PNA chairman are running campaign headquarters in Jerusalem, and so far two of them have campaigned in the city.

Taisar Khaled, who is running on the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine ticket, held an election rally in Jerusalem last week after receiving the necessary permits.

But National Democratic Initiative candidate Mustafa Barghouti,who ranks a distant second behind Abbas, was arrested for a fewhours last week for campaigning in Jerusalem without a permit,although he was allowed to enter the city.

Campaigning is due to stop two days before the election, forwhich Palestinians are still registering to vote.