| At the G-8 summit in Canada, Bush was
asked what would happen if the Palestinian people re-elect Arafat. He told
reporters, "I meant what I said that there needs to be change. If people
are interested in peace, something else has got to happen. ... I also made
it plenty clear, if there is leadership compromised by terror we won't
be on the path to peace."
Bush also said he was confident the Palestinian
people would make the right decisions and said the United States and other
donor countries will not be willing to fund a "corrupt" Palestinian state.
(Full story)
Erakat denied the timing of the announcement
of elections was in response to Bush's call for a change in leadership,
saying the plan was approved June 22.
In his speech Monday, Bush also said Israel
needs to withdraw from Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza
and stop the construction of Jewish settlements in the territories.
A senior administration official said Tuesday
that Bush took a "more direct line" against Arafat in the speech after
learning the Palestinian leader was "continuing to support" terror groups.
The official declined to offer specifics on the evidence.
Presidential and legislative council elections
will take place sometime between January 10 and 20, Erakat said from Jericho
-- the only West Bank city that remains under full Palestinian control.
He also announced that local elections in more than 300 constituencies
will be held for the first time in March of next year.
Speaking on behalf of Arafat, Erakat announced
the election dates Wednesday as part of a 100-day reform program the Palestinian
Authority will undertake in the coming weeks.
He said the "Basic Law," which is the equivalent
of a constitution, will be put into effect in July. Erakat said reforms
in the security services and the judiciary were also in the works.
Plea to press Israel to leave West Bank
Erakat urged the international community
to put pressure on Israel to lift its hold on seven of the eight West Bank
cities in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's campaign against Palestinian
suicide bombers.
Israel increased its military presence
in the West Bank last week after terror attacks -- two suicide bombings
and an attack on a family in their home -- that left 31 Israelis dead.
"Elections cannot be carried out with tanks
in every state, every corner of Palestinian towns and villages," Erakat
said. "Voters cannot register while confined to their homes under curfews,
so we really call upon the international community to help us in carrying
out this program of reform."
Bush did not mention Arafat by name when
he called for new leadership in his speech, but U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell said the "implication is clear."
Powell said that believes there is "debate
within the Palestinian movement now as to the nature of the leadership
they've been receiving" and that Bush was not speaking "against the Palestinian
people, but for the Palestinian people" when he gave the address.
In an interview with CNN shortly before
his announcement about the elections, Erakat stressed that the upcoming
elections were "internal, Palestinian business" and chided the United States
for interfering.
"I hope that we will not give the impression
that Palestinian leaders will start parachuting in the West Bank and Gaza
from Washington," Erakat said. "Leave it to the Palestinian people to elect
their leaders.
"It's really incomprehensible to see democracy
squalling for a removal of [an elected leader]," he added.
Powell said the U.S. administration will
continue to work with Arafat and the present Palestinian leadership to
help shape reforms and lead to a change in leadership, Israel Radio reported.
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