Palestinians up security for vote

Police have been told to confront militants with an 'iron fist'

Thousands of Palestinian security men are being deployed at polling centres in the West Bank and Gaza ahead of legislative elections on Wednesday.

The troops are on high alert and only uniformed personnel will be allowed weapons near polling stations.

The run-up to the election has been marred by violence, but the main Palestinian militant groups have said they will ensure calm.

The poll has been repeatedly delayed and will be the first since 1996.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said he hopes the election for the Palestinian Legislative Council will honestly reflect the opinions of the Palestinian people.

"I hope the elections on Wednesday will proceed calmly and that the democratic process and the results are respected," Mr Abbas told reporters.

But he has warned that Palestinian security forces have been told to confront militants attempting to disrupt the election with an "iron fist".

High alert

A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior and National Security told Voice of Palestine radio that approximately 13,000 policemen and security personnel would be deployed at voting centres to guarantee the legislative elections run smoothly.

Palestinian militant groups have promised a peaceful election

Tawfiq Abu-Khusah said the security forces would resist any attempts of sabotage inside or nearby the centres, and would prevent any gunmen from entering.

Nearly 1.5m Palestinians are eligible to vote at about 1,000 polling centres in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel has agreed to restrict its forces to "essential operations" in the West Bank until Thursday night in order to allow Palestinian forces to operate freely.

Meanwhile, representatives from a number of Palestinian militant groups - including the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, linked to the ruling Fatah movement, and the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing - issued a joint statement saying they would be unarmed during voting.

"We assert that we will not allow any element to confiscate your right to vote and elect your representatives," the representatives of the militant groups told reporters in Gaza City.

Islamic Jihad, which is boycotting the election, did not attend the press conference.