| Palestinian officials appealed Thursday for international monitors to help with their presidential elections and urged Israel's unilateral plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip be folded into a stalled international peace plan. The new Palestinian demands come as Secretary of State Colin Powell and foreign ministers from other sponsors of the "road map" peace plan head to the region, hoping to restart peace efforts amid a new spirit of hope following Yasser Arafat's death. Senior Palestinian officials have met repeatedly with political factions and militant groups since Arafat's death to pave the way for Jan. 9 presidential elections. They also seek to restore order in the streets and are working — so far unsuccessfully — to broker a halt to attacks on Israel. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia pledged to maintain order ahead of the elections. "We should put an end to the chaos," he said. "Everyone should be obliged to carry out law and order, and it is possible." |