Ramallah, West Bank - 21 November 2004
1. Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat seated
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Saeb Erekat, Palestinian cabinet minister
"We want Mr Powell and the United States to ensure that we have free and fair elections with the participation of Palestinians from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. We want to ensure that the freedom of movement of our people, candidates, voters, parties is an imperative in the West Bank and Gaza and between the West Bank and Gaza. And we hope that the United States can guarantee this, along with the other members of the Quartet."
3. UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed Larsen coming out after meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Terje Roed Larsen, UN Middle East envoy:
"Even more important that Israel starts pulling back troops from the cities of the West Bank, that they do absolutely everything to facilitate free and fair elections and that there is no way of trying to influence the outcome of those elections from the Israeli side. This should be solely an affair for the Palestinian people."
Jerusalem - 21 November 2004
5. Israeli Foreign ministry official Marc Regev walking
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Marc Regev, Israeli Foreign Ministry official:
"We have every intention of redeploying so as to allow them to have their process of election. That is our intention and that is our hope. After all, a successful Palestinian Authority is good for Israel. We'd like to have a partner on the other side. Now the only thing I could say to the interim Palestinian leadership is if they could help us by coming down on the terrorists, that would make it a little bit easier for Israel to do our redeployment. But we have every intention, every intention, of being forthcoming on this issue."
Nablus, West Bank - 20 November 2004
Night shots:
7. Ambulances outside hospital, their lights flashing
8. Crush of people around bodies of two Palestinian children
9. Woman in white headscarf screaming and being led away
10. Bodies of two Palestinian teenagers in morgue
11. Crowd of Palestinians in morgue
Nablus, West Bank - 21 November 2004
12. Funeral procession carrying bodies
13. Various of mourners chanting for revenge as they carry body
14. Men carrying guns and chanting
15 Various of funeral procession
16. Women in doorway crying
Palestinian leaders on Sunday urged US Secretary of State Colin Powell to put pressure on Israel to withdraw troops from disputed areas in the West Bank before holding elections to replace longtime leader Yasser Arafat.
Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat also said that the Palestinians were willing to meet the Israeli side to coordinate the elections - scheduled for January 9 - as soon as possible.
The Palestinians have demanded that Israel withdraw troops from Palestinian areas to permit elections to go forward smoothly, arguing that large Israeli troop concentrations in Palestinian urban areas would intimidate voters.
The Palestinian Authority was trying to rebuild security forces and prevent a flare- up in violence before the first presidential vote in the Palestinian areas since 1996.
Palestinian officials have warned that armed gangs could foment chaos in an attempt to disrupt the elections.
Also on Sunday, UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed Larsen called upon the Israelis to withdraw its troops from the West Bank in order to allow free and democratic elections to take place, a request which Israel has rebuffed in the past.
Israel has stated an interest in ensuring smooth elections but officials have not yet committed to pulling back troops from Palestinian communities for the vote.
However, on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Ministry official Marc Regev did say that Israel would do its best to ensure fair elections by redeploying its troops from the area, saying that Israel had an interest in an outcome which produced a well-functioning Palestinian Authority.
Underscoring the troubled security situation in the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed two 15-year old Palestinian boys throwing stones at Israeli jeeps in the West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday night, according to Palestinian hospital officials.
On Sunday, hundreds of mourners filled the streets of Nablus for the boys' funeral procession.
The Israeli army said it opened fire on two Palestinians who were shooting at them, but added it didn't know if they died.
