Brussels, 24/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - A huge number of MEPs from across the political board (EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA and UEN) have signed an open letter to the Palestinian Electoral Committee, calling on its to continue with its efforts to ensure the Palestinian elections on 25 January are free and democratic (see EUROPE 9113 on the debate in the plenary in Strasbourg). The MEPs are calling on Israel, the Arab League and the Islamic Conference Organisation to back the elections and promote the participation of moderate candidates. They urge all candidates to sign a documents pledging to support the peace process based on two states, two peoples and recognising the right of the state of Israel to exist, turning their backs on violence and pledging to disarm. The open letter calls on Hamas to disarm its militias and ensure its platform or charter does not call for destruction of the state of Israel and/or make anti-Semitic comments. The open letter was the idea of a series of MEPs: Patrick Gaubert (EPP-ED, France), Vytautas Landsbergis ((EPP-ED, Lithuania), Charles Tannock (EPP-ED, UK), Maciej Siwiec (PES, Poland), Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE, Poland) Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Poland) and Cristiana Muscardini (UEN, Italy).