Israel pledged to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that they would do all they could to facilitate safe and fair elections for the Palestinians which are scheduled for January 9th.

Powell was in Jerusalem for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other Israeli officials. At a joint press conference with Sharon, Powell announced, 'We discussed the fact the Palestinians will need freedom of movement and ... access for candidates to move around or people to get to polling places.'

Powell also indicated that Palestinians living in East Jerusalem would be included in the voting. 'We didn't get into specifics or the timing of actions that Israel might take, but they understand what the need is and with respect to (Palestinians voting in) East Jerusalem there is a precedent for such a matter.'

Israel annexed East Jerusalem after defeating Jordanian occupying forces during the Six Day War in 1967. Israel has stated Jerusalem is its eternal and indivisible capital. As the holiest city to Jews around the world, it is the spiritual capital of the Jewish people and houses the Western Wall, the only remaining wall standing from the Holy Temple. Palestinians also make claims to East Jerusalem and seek to make it the capital of a new Palestinian state.

Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom indicated that Israel would do 'everything it can in order to ease conditions for the Palestinians to have their own elections, and it includes of course freedom of movement.'

The obvious concern for Israel is security in light of the suicide bombings carried out by Palestinian terrorists since the beginning of the second Intifada in 2000. The violence escalated after Yasser Arafat turned down an offer of over 95% of the West Bank and all of Gaza for a Palestinian state from then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak at Camp David.

Shalom indicated that Israel may be willing to coordinate security arrangements with the United States and the Palestinian Authority.