Jerusalem dispute could scupper Palestinian vote

THE Palestinian Authority will cancel January 25 parliamentary elections if Israel goes ahead with its plan to bar Palestinians from voting in disputed Jerusalem, a senior Palestinian official said yesterday.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has been under pressure from his Fatah Party to postpone the vote, amid concerns about the growing political clout of the Islamic militant group Hamas. But Palestinian officials denied Mr Abbas was using Israel’s threat as a pretext to call off the vote.

Mr Abbas said he hasn’t decided yet whether to delay the vote.