Gaza chaos could derail Palestinian poll - official

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, spoke to Sky Television hours after the release of Kate Burton, 25, and her parents Hugh and Helen after two days in captivity.

"What message are they sending the international observers we're inviting to monitor our elections?" Erekat said. "Maybe the reason behind such a despicable act, is to keep these observers out because some want to sabotage these elections."

Up to 250 observers from Europe and the United States are expected to monitor the Jan. 25 election.

Mathias Eick, a spokesman for the European Union observer mission to the Palestinian elections, said: "Our plans are still on schedule and we will be deploying in Gaza".

An unknown group calling itself Brigades of the Mujahideen-Jerusalem claimed Wednesday's abduction, saying it wanted British and EU pressure on Israel to end a "No-go zone" imposed in Gaza to stop militants firing rockets at Israel.

The political demands and Islamist tone of the captors were a marked departure from previous kidnappings in the Gaza Strip, whose perpetrators tended to be seeking jobs or the release of prisoners and set free their hostages within hours.

In Jerusalem, the British Foreign Office said the hostages freed Friday "are well and in good spirits. They are currently with officials from our Consulate General in Jerusalem.

In a statement, family in London welcomed their release.

Burton and her visiting parents had been seized in the chaotic southern town of Rafah on Wednesday by armed gunmen.

ISRAELI CONCERNS MOUNT

Concern in Israel has mounted over the rash of kidnappings and growing violence in Gaza since Israel withdrew from the territory in September, after 38 years of military rule.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet planned to weigh measures if unrest crippling the ruling Fatah movement was to lead to a victory by Hamas militants sworn to Israel's destruction in the parliamentary poll, Israel Radio said.

Shimon Peres, Israel's elder statesman, was quoted as saying a Hamas victory in balloting could raise questions about the future of a U.S.-backed peace road map, already on hold over Israel's demands that the Palestinians disarm all militants.

Israel has said it may block Hamas participation in the poll by refusing to lift army roadblocks, a move that could bar many Palestinians from casting ballots in the occupied West Bank.

In continuing Gaza unrest, masked gunmen of the mainstream Fatah faction stormed three government offices and expelled all occupants, in demand of jobs. They were persuaded to leave three hours later when government officials promised to meet them.

Angry relatives of a policeman killed earlier this week in a gun battle with clan members erected a makeshift checkpoint outside the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, threatening to bar Palestinian officials from passing through.

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza)

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