Palestinians Link Elections, Pullout
Amid calls for reform in the Palestinian Authority, a senior adviser said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has decided to hold elections within six months. But he wants the Israeli army out of Palestinian territory when the voting takes place.
Arafat told reporters Friday that elections would only be held once Israeli occupation had ended, but his advisers later clarified that the voting is being linked to a far more modest withdrawal.
Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath said the goal remained to have presidential and parliamentary elections within six months. Shaath said that work on putting together rosters of eligible voters had already begun.
"But these elections need an Israeli withdrawal to the places (troops held) before September 28, 2000," said Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath, referring to the day the fighting began.
Shaath said the Palestinians also insisted that residents of traditionally Arab east Jerusalem be permitted to vote, as they were in the last Palestinian election in 1996.
"If that happens, then everything will be prepared. We are working on it now," he said.
Arafat is under growing pressure from the United States, the European Union and his own people to reform the corruption-ridden Palestinian Authority and to hold elections.
In the West Bank, Israeli tanks roared into the Palestinian city of Jenin before dawn Friday, and shooting exchanges broke out, witnesses said.
More than 20 tanks and other armored vehicles entered the city from the west early Friday, and soon after, gunfire and explosions were heard, Palestinian residents of the city said.
There was no immediate word on casualties, and the Israeli military declined immediate comment.
Arafat's decision was announced after the Palestinian parliament on Thursday called for sweeping reforms of the corruption-ridden Palestinian Authority, including the formation of a new Cabinet within 45 days and general elections by early 2003.
Legislators from Arafat's Fatah movement had also demanded that the post of prime minister be created, with the prime minister in charge of day-to-day operations of the Palestinian Authority. However, legislators said there were legal complications in forming the new office, and said they were dropping the demand until they could work out the problems.
The legislators' package also demanded Arafat disband the current Cabinet and present a new, smaller one to parliament for approval in 45 days, Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi said. The current Cabinet has 30 members: parliament wanted it reduced to 19. Municipal elections should be held by the end of this year, she said.
Meanwhile, the Bush administration is considering a change in tactics in its effort to break the deadlock in the Mideast peace process.
According to a U.S. official commenting on condition of anonymity, CIA Director George Tenet may invite Israeli and Palestinian security experts to Washington for talks on ending the violence which has so far claimed at least 1,351 Palestinian and 474 Israeli lives.
Tenet originally had been expected to travel to the Mideast for talks with the two groups, and the official says that plan, too, remains under consideration.
The purpose of the talks would be narrower than the entire Mideast peace problem. The agenda is security - that is, changes in the current system of policing the area, including reforms in the Palestinian police force.
Strengthening security arrangements is an Israeli condition for submitting to U.S. pressure to resume negotiations on the tougher issues that stand between Israel, the Palestinians, and peace.
The operation in Jenin appeared to be on a larger scale than previous incursions in Palestinian territories, and it was not clear how long it would last.
On Thursday, Israeli troops raided two districts in the Palestinian city of Ramallah after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he expected a Palestinian state would emerge only after lengthy negotiations.
A Palestinian security source says a Palestinian security officer was killed and at least four people were arrested during the brief raid by Israeli tanks and troops.
Troops also entered the village of Tallousa near Nablus in the northern West Bank and carried out house-to-house searches, witnesses said. Palestinian sources said at least 12 Palestinians from militant factions were arrested.