 Mahmoud Abbas says the US government has assured him that voting in a 25 January legislative poll would be allowed in East Jerusalem, despite Israel's objection to Hamas participating. The Palestinian president said on Monday: "Today I received American assurances that the campaigning and the elections will take place in Jerusalem." Abbas's announcement alleviated some fears that he was planning to call off the vote under pressure from members of his Fatah party, who were concerned that the popular Hamas group would embarrass Fatah at the polls. |