A Palestinian official has called on the international community to deter
Israel from hindering Palestinian elections to be held next year.
Speaking in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, Palestinian chief
negotiation representative, Saeb Arekat, said that according to an agreement
signed in 1995, Israel should permit Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to
vote, China Radio International reported Monday.
The representative also called on the Mideast Quartet - the US, Russia, the
EU and the United Nations - and the international community to abide by the
agreement to enable the election to proceed smoothly.
Earlier in the day, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom objected to
Palestinians in East Jerusalem participating in the voting, saying it would
legalize Palestinian sovereignty of East Jerusalem.
But Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he didn't rule out the
possibility of East Jerusalem Palestinians voting in the election.
