Palestinian leaders urge Israel to withdraw troops from the occupied regions, and calling for residents to participate in the election scheduled Jan.9th.

    In an attempt to hold a general election for a new president, the Palestinian leadership is demanding Israel to ease its restriction to facilitate the move.

In Paris, the Palestinian delegate Leila Chahid says the Israeli troops must withdraw from the occupied regions, to ensure the Palestinians' voting.

She also indicates the Palestinians are seeking supports from the European Union and US for a fair and transparent election.

On Sunday, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Arekat, called on the international community to deter Israel from hindering the Palestinian elections, scheduled for Jan. 9th, saying an agreement signed in 1995 has allowed Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to vote.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has objected to the call, saying it would legalize Palestinian sovereignty of East Jerusalem, but Prime Minister Ariel Sharon later said he didn't rule out the possibility of East Jerusalem Palestinians' participation in the voting.

Source: Xinhua