An opinion poll, ahead of the election in Palestine shows little between the two main parties, Hamas and Fatah.
Ahead of the election, scheduled for 25 January, Richard Crowley reports from Ramallah in the West Bank in Palestine on the implications that the election results will have on the peace process.
Simply having an election, even if it's merely to elect a parliament without a state, is giving the Palestinians a sense of freedom, a feeling of independence.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, Third Way Party, describes the importance of the election.
If the new legislative council will not take decisive measures in order to put an end to chaos and the lack of law and order in our streets, this will endanger even our chances, at least internationally, to have independence, to guarantee that the international community will support us.
Students at Birzeit University have mixed views and speak about who they trust and who they intend to vote for.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 23 January 2006. The reporter is Richard Crowley.
