Yasser Arafat's successors promised a swift election to replace him on Saturday as Palestinians flocked to his tomb to pay last respects to the ex-guerrilla who symbolised their hopes of a state. Prime Minister Ahmed Qorie told reporters that a presidential election would be held by January 9, within the 60 days set out by law. Little-known parliament speaker Rawhi Fattouh is currently acting president.
"Now our biggest concern is to hold elections," said Nabil Abu Rdainah, who was one of Arafat's main aides.
"The international community, especially the United States, should exert pressure on Israel to withdraw its forces and not to enter Palestinian cities, to stop its aggression so that we can proceed with the preparations."
There have been no elections of any kind since 1996. Arafat always said they were impossible because of Israeli attacks and closures.
Arafat, 75, was buried in Ramallah on Friday at the compound where he was penned in by Israel during his dying years, accused of fomenting violence in an uprising that began after peace talks collapsed in 2000. He denied the charge.
His body arrived home on Friday from the Paris hospital where he died, via a funeral in Cairo among kings and presidents of the Arab world, to chaotic scenes of grief and gunfire.
By Saturday, the tree-shaded tomb had become a pilgrimage site of quiet mourning.
Some laid olive branches, some the red, white, green and black Palestinian flag and some the black-and-white keffiyeh head-dress that Arafat made his trademark when he emerged on the world stage in the era of Third World liberation struggles.
"Our father has passed away," said Hala Khalil at the grave.
For Palestinians, Arafat symbolised dreams of statehood. For many Israelis he was a "master terrorist".
Israel has said Arafat's death could be a turning point in Middle East peace - but that it will talk to the new leadership only if it shows itself more willing and capable than Arafat of reining in militant factions.
The autocratic Arafat left no clear successor and his powers have been shared among several veterans, stirring fears of a possible power struggle in Palestinian territories brimming with gunmen and a plethora of security forces.
The most important figure in the new leadership is former premier Mahmoud Abbas, 69, a moderate who has criticised violence and is now chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, but he has little popular following.
Some influential Palestinians suggested that one candidate to replace Arafat could be Marwan Barghouthi, 45, who is serving an Israeli jail sentence for orchestrating murders. He is a fiery orator seen as the grassroots leader of the uprising.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana promised European help during a visit to Ramallah but cautioned: "You have to have a situation on the ground that is better so that elections can take place."
For Palestinians that means a pullback of Israeli force, but Israel says its closures only to stop attacks. Palestinian areas have also faced growing internal security problems.
US President George W. Bush said on Friday he wanted to see a Palestinian state by the end of his second four-year term, pointing to elections as a key step.
The Palestinians hope to see one much sooner, pointing out that the "road map" peace plan that Bush himself backed envisaged it by 2005.
Bush backs an Israeli plan to withdraw from the occupied Gaza Strip, but Palestinians fear the initiative will deny them the viable state they want, and supplant the road map.
In Cairo, Assistant US Secretary of State William Burns said the world should support the Israeli initiative "as a step towards the road map and a step towards a negotiated two-state solution".
Jordan's King Abdullah urged the United States to push both sides to implement the road map.
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