RAMALLAH, Sept. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Up to Tuesday evening, around 600,000 Palestinians have registered for the Palestinian elections,a senior Palestinian leader of elections said on Wednesday.

    Ali Jarbawi, secretary of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission said this figure represents 35 percent of the total number of the Palestinians who have the rights to register for elections in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

    At a press conference held in the West Bank city of Nablus,Jarbawi expressed his satisfaction over the increasing ratio of registration.

    He said so far the highest ratio of registration has been in Salfeet at 55 percent, followed by Toubas, then Der al-Balah and Tulkarem, Qalqilia and Nablus.

    The registration for the elections will end by Oct. 7, Jarbawi added.

    Meanwhile, he pointed out that Israeli procedures of closures and incursions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip cities, towns and refugee camps continue, prevent many people from reaching the registering posts.

    The lowest rates were registered in Gaza and Ramallah, which were 27 percent and 30 percent respectively.

    Jarbawi said that the registration ratios in the camps of Gaza Strip were better than those in the West Bank.

    Regarding the low registration in Nablus last week which was 17 percent, he expressed concerns but adding that "this week it rose to 34 percent and is increasing".

    Jarbawi said he could understand the despair and frustration in the Palestinian streets, explaining that if there were an exact date for the elections, things would have been more positive.

    "After October 7, the Central Elections Commission will study all conditions and options and will decide then according to the law to guarantee that every citizen exercises his right to register," Jarbawi said. Enditem