A Palestinian minister and two prisoners leaders petitioned the Israeli High Court on Monday to allow about 8,000 Palestinians being held in Israeli jails to vote in Palestinian presidential election on Jan.9.

The petition was submitted by human rights attorney Zvi Rish, who represented Palestinian minister for prisoners affairs Abdel Razeq and two prisoners leaders.

Rish said that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz had decided not to let the Palestinian prisoners vote because they had "already made enough concessions to the Palestinian Authority by allowing east Jerusalem residents to vote and therefore did not intend to grant the request of the Palestinian prisoners".

The petitioners accused the Israeli government of violating Israeli and international law by preventing the prisoners from exercising their basic right to vote.

Rish said that Israel allowed its own imprisoned citizens to vote in national elections and it was allegedly unlawfully holding Palestinians in prisons located in Israel.

The 1948 universal declaration of human rights, which Israel honors, recognizes the right of every individual to vote for the leadership of his country, whatever its international status may be, and without discrimination of any kind.

Before submitting the petition, Abdel Razeq had held talks with Israeli officials but failed to persuade them to allow the prisoners to vote.