Palestinians demand withdrawal before election

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinian officials said Friday that Israel must pull back its troops and lift sweeping travel restrictions before they would hold an election that would require Yasser Arafat to face voters for the first time in six years.

Israeli officials said the conditions meant Arafat, who is under growing pressure from abroad and at home to reform his corrupt government, is not serious about facing the voters.

In the West Bank and Gaza Strip, meanwhile, Israeli soldiers killed four people: an Israeli Arab woman who was shot dead when soldiers opened fire on her taxi, a 7-year-old boy who was killed during a stone throwing incident and two armed Palestinians who tried to infiltrate into Israeli settlements.

Israeli troops also raided the battle-scarred Jenin refugee camp and detained dozens of Palestinians. An Israeli soldier was wounded, the army said. A Palestinian man was killed in an explosion of a homemade bomb that was planted in the camp by fighters last month, sources in the camp said.

Israel wrapped up a six-week military offensive against Palestinian militias in the West Bank last week, but has continued to carry out arrest raids, such as the one in the Jenin camp.

The incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas illustrate the difficulties the Palestinians would face in preparing for elections.

"We are looking to run the election within six months," said Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath, adding that work had begun on putting together the roster of 1.6 million eligible voters.

"But these elections need an Israeli withdrawal to the places before Sept. 28, 2000," Shaath added, referring to the date the current round of fighting erupted.

Such a withdrawal would require the Israelis to remove dozens of checkpoints and pull back forces outside of major Palestinian cities. The checkpoints restrict most Palestinians to their home towns, cities or villages.

Such a pullback is also part of a U.S.-backed truce plan, whose author, CIA chief George Tenet, is expected to meet in the coming weeks with security officials from both sides.

Arafat, when asked Friday whether elections could take place before an Israeli withdrawal, said: "Definitely not."

"It is very difficult to have elections with occupation," he added.