Hisham Abu Taha • Arab News
 While the new Palestinian leadership readied the ground for presidential elections in January, PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas stepped up calls yesterday to end "armed chaos" engulfing the occupied territories. Abbas has been locked in talks with faction leaders and security chiefs during a five-day visit to the Gaza Strip ahead of the poll to find a successor to Yasser Arafat, scheduled in seven weeks' time. "Armed chaos must stop. I think people and officials realize the importance of controlling arms because (chaos) serves the interests of no one," he said, echoing an identical call from Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei. He went on to cite Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian territory as the biggest obstacle to holding the leadership election, due on Jan. 9.
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Arafat's death has fueled fears that the passing of the veteran leader could worsen an already fragile security situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A Palestinian policeman was killed and another wounded by Israeli tank fire in eastern Gaza City yesterday, medical sources said. "The Palestinian leadership has opened contacts with different countries so that the obstacles, particularly the occupation, be eliminated so that the election can go ahead normally," Abbas told Voice of Palestine radio. He is to wrap up his Gaza visit today, before tomorrow's expected arrival of outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell for talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials. "Armed chaos must cease, armed demonstrations must cease. Everybody must respect law and order," Qorei said after meeting MPs and leftist groups on Thursday.
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