Olmert: Jerusalemites can vote but not for Hamas

Apparently Israel is to allow Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem to vote in parliamentary elections later this month. But they will not, they say, allow Hamas's name to appear on the ballot paper. According to the Guardian Israel relented after being pressed by America to do so.

Under pressure from Washington, Israel said yesterday that it would allow Arab residents of East Jerusalem to vote in Palestinian parliamentary elections this month - an issue which had threatened to derail the ballot.

But the government said it will not permit Hamas, the militant Islamist party, to appear on ballots used in the city.

Before he suffered a stroke last week, the prime minister, Ariel Sharon, ordered that candidates be prevented from campaigning in Jerusalem and threatened to stop the vote in the city on January 25.

Meanwhile the New York Times has Ariel Sharon getting better. Perhaps he'll be up and about by polling day on 25/1/2006.