Special report: Internal situation in Palestine

    GAZA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official stated on Monday that going for a public referendum on holding early legislative elections in the West Bank and Gaza is an option to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to get out of crisis.

    Nabil Amro, an aide to Abbas told reporters that Abbas would get back to Ramallah on Tuesday with a series of options in his quiver to get the Palestinian people out of the current political and economical crisis.

    "I don't rule out that President Abbas would call for a public referendum, and then might call for holding new early legislative elections," said Amro.

    He added that "President Abbas was not able to return back to Ramallah on Monday because Israel closed down crossings due to Jewish Holidays."

    The Palestinian territories had been passing through a severe political and economical crisis since Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, won January legislative election and formed a new government in late March.

    Amro said that there are serious talks on forming a government hat includes national technocrats, or forming an emergency government, adding that "it becomes impossible to keep an endless dialogue among the political powers."

    Asked about the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the region, Amro said that the Israeli-Palestinian track was abandoned for a long time "consequently, resuming this track would bring life to normal."

    Amro also revealed that preparations for holding a meeting between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "are on," adding "it's impossible just to hold a meeting for photo opportunity." Enditem