Powell Wins Israeli Pledge on Palestinian Election

[Khephra]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Reviving a long-dormant U.S. peacemaking role, Secretary of State Colin Powell won an Israeli pledge on Monday to allow Palestinians enough freedom of movement to hold an election for Yasser Arafat's successor.

Powell, on his first visit to the region in 18 months, told Israeli and Palestinian leaders that Washington was determined to seize opportunities created by Arafat's death and help Palestinians hold a Jan. 9 vote to choose a new president.

But Powell, who announced his resignation last week and is now seen by both sides as a lame duck with little policy-making clout, made only limited progress in a day of high-level talks.

All he appeared to have gained from Israel was a promise to loosen restrictions on Palestinians' travel to permit them to campaign and cast ballots, effectively easing Israel's military grip on the West Bank.

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