Palestinian parliament demands general elections

The Palestinian parliament has demanded general elections be held within a year.

The legislators have also called on Yasser Arafat to appoint a new Cabinet within 45 days.

There has been no response from the Palestinian leader, who told parliament on Wednesday he was open to change, but gave few specifics.

The list of demands has been drafted by a committee of eight legislators.

"This is the authentic, Palestinian homegrown programme of reform, structural, legal, procedural, personal," said legislator Hanan Ashrawi, in apparent reference to pressures from the United States, Europe and Israel to revamp the government.

Under parliament's proposed plan, elections for parliament and president of the Palestinian Authority - the position now held by Yasser Arafat - would be held within a year, preferably sooner.

The proposal appears to be the most serious challenge yet to his near absolute rule.

The last elections were held in 1996, when Mr Arafat won overwhelmingly.