PALESTINIAN REACTION: The Palestinian Election Commission has said it has resigned, but may reconsider if the government keeps a promise to heed its demands to reduce interference in a January 25th election.
Hanna Nasser, the commission's president, said yesterday it had submitted a letter of resignation in protest at a government decision to allow 60,000 security men to vote in their own barracks instead of in their districts.
Commission officials later said they were told that prime minister Ahmed Qurie's cabinet was rescinding the decision, clearing the way for the commission to cancel its resignation.
The commission is an independent body that supervises Palestinian elections. It would be impossible to conduct parliamentary balloting without it as it is in charge of making logistical arrangements.
Mr Nasser said allowing security men to vote in their barracks would amount to interference and lack of transparency in the election process.
