Palestinian National Unity Government of March 2007

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The Palestinian National Unity Government of March 2007 (Arabic: المجلس الفلسطيني لآذار 17 2007‎) was a Palestinian Authority unity government from March to June 2007, headed by Ismail Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.^[1]

The Unity Government was formed on 17 March 2007 following negotiations in Mecca, but due to failing international support because it did not meet the Quartet conditions, it was short-living. Israel immediately rejected the Government and said it will deal with Abbas, but not with the new government unless it recognizes the Jewish state. Israeli officials said they would try to persuade the world not to deal with the government.^[1]

After a Fatah–Hamas battle, the Government was dissolved by President Mahmoud Abbas on 14 June 2007.

Background

After the 2006 elections which Hamas won, Fatah developed a plan to replace the Hamas-government. According to the plan, a national unity government or a "government of technocrats" would be formed and prepare early presidential and legislative elections. If the establishment of a government meeting the Quartet conditions would fail, President Abbas would announce a state of emergency, dismiss the present cabinet and form an emergency government, or call for early elections.^[2][3] The plan was, for the time being, not carried out in full, as indeed a "unity government" was formed in March 2007.

Timeline

On 25 January 2006, Hamas won the parliamentary elections. Israel, the United States, the European Union and several Western states then imposed sanctions suspending all foreign aid, upon which Palestinians depend.

In March 2006, the previous Government was installed.

On 8 February 2007, negotiations in Mecca produced an agreement to form a Palestinian national unity government, signed by Mahmoud Abbas on behalf of Fatah and by Khaled Mashal on behalf of Hamas. The new government was called on to achieve Palestinian national goals as approved by the Palestine National Council, the clauses of the Basic Law and the National Reconciliation Document (the Prisoners' Document) as well as the decisions of the Arab summit.^[4]

On 17 March, Ismail Haniyeh presented his new national unity government before the Palestinian Legislative Council.^[5] The Parliament approved the government, with 83 representatives voting in favor and three against. The 25 ministers were sworn in by President Mahmoud Abbas at the ceremony, which was held simultaneously in Gaza and Ramallah.^[1][6] The program of the national unity government included ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and recognizing the right to self determination of the Palestinian people, and the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty within the 1967 borders, with al-Quds as its capital,^[1] implementation of the Cairo Agreement pertaining to the PLO, and commitment to the Palestinian right of return.^[5] Israel rejected the new government, while Norway recognized it and other countries reacted with reserve. On that moment, 41 of 132 Members of Parliament, nearly a third of the PLC, were in Israeli detention.^[1]

After fierce battles between Fatah and Hamas on 10 to 14 June 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip during the Battle of Gaza.^[7][8] On 14 June, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared the state of emergency by Presidential decree, and dismissed Haniyeh's 2007 National Unity G. He appointed an emergency government and suspended articles of the Basic Law, to circumvent the needed parliamental approval.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Following the takeover of the Gaza Strip, Egypt and Israel largely sealed their border crossings with Gaza, ostensibly because Fatah had fled and was no longer providing security on the Palestinian side.^[13] Egypt assisted in the blockade, allegedly because it feared a spill-over of Hamas-style militancy into their territory.^[14]

Members of the Government

March to June 2007 ^[6]

See also

• Palestinian government

References

Palestinian elections Presidential elections 1996 2005 next Parliamentary elections 1923 1996 2006 next Local elections 1972 1976 2004–05 2012