Quds, Nov. 21, SPA -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said he would press both Israeli and Palestinian leaders for steps to enable Palestinians to elect a successor to Yasser Arafat, as he arrived in Israel on Sunday. It was Powell's first trip to the region in 18 months and signalled a revival of U.S. peacemaking in the Middle East since Arafat's death changed the political landscape. "This is a moment of opportunity ... The big step ahead of us now is to assist the Palestinian people getting ready for the (Jan. 9) election," he told reporters aboard his plane. "In my conversations with both sides, I'll be encouraging them to do everything they can to make sure this election comes off and that the maximum number of Palestinians get the opportunity to participate. "Perhaps the things that we do or that they do will encourage a degree of cooperation that can spread into other areas," said Powell, who announced his resignation last week. His designated successor, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, is likely to take over early next year.
