Ramallah, Sep 02: Leading Palestinian figures today urged veteran leader Yasser Arafat and his Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas to end their power struggle ahead of a crunch parliamentary meeting later this week. More than 200 politicians, academics and other public figures have signed a petition calling on the one-time allies to unite and focus their concentration against Israel.

"We call on you to put an end to all kinds of internal differences and work to resolve the current crisis inside the Palestinian institutions," said the letter, published in newspapers today. It was vital for the Palestinian leadership "to head off all attempts being taken by the enemy of our people, mainly the government of the Israeli occupation, to sabotage our national unity."

Both sides should "resort to dialogue in order to resolve all differences," the petition added.

Governmental Affairs Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo and the leading MPs Hanan Ashrawi and Hatim Abdul Qadar were among the signatories. There is growing unease among Palestinians about the outcome of the struggle between Arafat and Abbas, ostensibly over control of the security apparatus, which will decide the fate of both men.

So far, all attempts to mediate a resolution have failed.

Abbas is set to appear before the Palestinian Parliament on Thursday to present a defense of his government's record in its first 100 days in office.

Bureau Report