(20 Jan 1996) English/Nat

Palestinians have taken another step along the road to peace and democracy by taking part in the first election for their own assembly and President.

With only one contender, Yasser Arafat is virtually guaranteed the top post and his followers in the Fatah faction are likely to dominate the new 88-seat legislative council.

Palestinians in the West Bank town of Ramallah cast ballots for their first elected government on Saturday - a defining step in the decades-long battle to live under their own rule.

International monitors oversaw polling to ensure voting was fair.

The voters received two ballot papers, one red for the presidency and a white one for the legislative council.

In a cardboard voting booth, they had their first dose of democracy, casting their votes for a president and for the new legislative council.

The red box was the presidential votes - P-L-O Leader Yasser Arafat is virtually guaranteed this position with only token opposition and the white box was for the legislative council.

SOUNDBITE:

"Well, it's a great day for the Palestinian voter because we feel we have - at last - our freedom and it's a good feeling, really."

SUPER CAPTION: Suheil Samandu, Palestinian Voter

In the West Bank town of Hebron, turnout was light.

The continued presence of Israeli soldiers in Hebron to guard Jewish settlers has undercut support for Arafat in the city, the only West Bank town still under Israeli control.
Foreign observers protested to Israeli authorities that Israeli soldiers violated election procedures by walking near the polling place outside the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

In a symbol of the new era of peace which is dawning on the region, these marchers banged the drum of peace and prayed for safe elections.

They spent the last three days marching to Hebron from Jenin in the north of the West Bank.

In Abu-Dis, a village in East Jerusalem, former U-S President Jimmy Carter, arrived to help oversee the elections.

He leads the 40-member international observer team.

Carter accused Israeli police of intimidating Palestinians with a massive police presence and by filming voters, claiming they were trying to reduce the size of the Palestinian vote in Jerusalem.

Amongst those casting their votes in Abu-Dis was Abu Ala who is standing as a candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council.

SOUNDBITE:

"We are committed to the agreement and we will implement the agreement. I hope that the Israelis will implement the agreement and, as for example, in the prisoners part."

SUPER CAPTION: Abu Ala, Palestinian Council Candidate

The main focal point of tensions was Jerusalem, where Israelis still rule although around five-thousand Palestinians there are able to vote.

Security was high outside this post office, which was being used as a polling station, but there only appeared to be minor hiccups.

Thousands of Israeli troops were in the streets, fearing attacks from both Jewish militants and Islamic extremists opposed to the peace process.

Major Islamic and leftist groups have boycotted this election, in which there were more than one (m) million eligible voters.

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