EU election monitors overseeing preparations for Palestinian parliamentary elections called on Israel today to decide as soon as possible on whether to allow Arabs to vote in east Jerusalem.
EU mission spokesman Mathias Eick said it had no official contact with the Israeli government since Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke late on Wednesday, all but paralysing the authorities from taking major policy decisions.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has vowed to cancel the 25 January election unless residents of east Jerusalem can join the democratic process, a threat repeated by his prime minister, Ahmed Qorei.
Israeli police stopped two leading candidates from canvassing in occupied east Jerusalem on the first day of campaigning last Tuesday.
Followers of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have ordered foreign observers overseeing the election to leave the Jenin area of the northern West Bank.
Mr Eick said there were eight EU election monitors based in Jenin, although he had no immediate information about the threat.
One Palestinian was killed and three others were injured today in clashes between gunmen and policemen in Gaza City.
