Palestinian government of March 2007
Encyclopedia
The Palestinian national unity government formed on March 17, 2007 was a Palestinian cabinet headed by Palestinian Prime Minister
Ismail Haniya
, founded following Saudi-sponsored negotiations in Mecca. On June 14 2007, Following the Hamas military takeover of the Gaza Strip
, Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas
announced the dissolution
of the unity government. See also Palestine National Unity government formed in April 2011.
won the 2006 Palestinian elections
. As a result, Israel
, the United States
, the European Union
, several Western states
, and the Arab states
imposed sanctions suspending all foreign aid, upon which Palestinians depend.
On February 8 2007 Saudi-sponsored negotiations in Mecca produced agreement on a Palestinian national unity government signed by Mahmoud Abbas
on behalf of Fatah and 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.
In March 2007, the Palestinian Legislative Council
established a national unity government, with 83 representatives voting in favor and three against. Government ministers were sworn in by Abu Mazen, the chairman on the Palestinian Authority, in at a ceremony held simultaneously in Gaza and Ramallah. In June that year, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from the national unity government after forcing out Fatah.
On June 14 2007, Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas
announced the dissolution
of the March 2007 unity government and the declaration of a state of emergency
. Ismail Haniya
has been dismissed, and Abbas will rule Gaza and the West Bank by presidential decree.
Following the takeover of the Gaza Strip Egypt and Israel largely sealed their border crossings with Gaza, on the grounds that Fatah had fled and was no longer providing security on the Palestinian side. Egypt fearing a spill-over of Hamas-style militancy into their territory assisted in the blockade. The sanctions were tightened in response to rocket attacks on southern Israel and Palestinian militant attacks on crossing points between Israel and Gaza.
Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority
The Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is the head of government of the Palestinian Authority government.The Prime Minister's Office was created in 2003 to manage day-to-day activities of the Palestinian government. The position was created because both Israel and the United...
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniyeh ; is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won...
, founded following Saudi-sponsored negotiations in Mecca. On June 14 2007, Following the Hamas military takeover of the Gaza Strip
Battle of Gaza (2007)
The Battle of Gaza was a military conflict between Hamas and Fatah that took place between June 7 and 15, 2007 in the Gaza Strip. After winning Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, Hamas and Fatah formed the Palestinan authority national unity government in 2007, headed by Ismail Haniya. In...
, Palestinian President
President of the Palestinian National Authority
The President of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position in the Palestinian National Authority ....
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
announced the dissolution
Dissolution of parliament
In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
of the unity government. See also Palestine National Unity government formed in April 2011.
Timeline
HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
won the 2006 Palestinian elections
Palestinian legislative election, 2006
On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council , the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority . Notwithstanding the 2005 municipal elections and the January 9, 2005 presidential election, this was the first election to the PLC since 1996; subsequent...
. As a result, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, several Western states
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
, and the Arab states
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
imposed sanctions suspending all foreign aid, upon which Palestinians depend.
On February 8 2007 Saudi-sponsored negotiations in Mecca produced agreement on a Palestinian national unity government signed by Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
on behalf of Fatah and Khaled Mashal
Khaled Mashal
Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal, Khaled Meshaal, and Khalid Mish'al, has been the main leader of Hamas since the assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi in 2004. In addition, Mashal heads the Syrian branch of the political bureau of Hamas.Mashal was born in Silwad, a village north of...
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.
In March 2007, the Palestinian Legislative Council
Palestinian Legislative Council
The Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 132 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza...
established a national unity government, with 83 representatives voting in favor and three against. Government ministers were sworn in by Abu Mazen, the chairman on the Palestinian Authority, in at a ceremony held simultaneously in Gaza and Ramallah. In June that year, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from the national unity government after forcing out Fatah.
On June 14 2007, Palestinian President
President of the Palestinian National Authority
The President of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position in the Palestinian National Authority ....
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
announced the dissolution
Dissolution of parliament
In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
of the March 2007 unity government and the declaration of a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
. Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniyeh ; is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won...
has been dismissed, and Abbas will rule Gaza and the West Bank by presidential decree.
Following the takeover of the Gaza Strip Egypt and Israel largely sealed their border crossings with Gaza, on the grounds that Fatah had fled and was no longer providing security on the Palestinian side. Egypt fearing a spill-over of Hamas-style militancy into their territory assisted in the blockade. The sanctions were tightened in response to rocket attacks on southern Israel and Palestinian militant attacks on crossing points between Israel and Gaza.
Members of the Palestine cabinet
| Name | Office | Party |
| Ismail Hanieh | Prime Minister Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority The Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is the head of government of the Palestinian Authority government.The Prime Minister's Office was created in 2003 to manage day-to-day activities of the Palestinian government. The position was created because both Israel and the United... |
Hamas Hamas Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades... |
| Azzam al-Ahmad Azzam al-Ahmad Azzam al-Ahmad . He also received a BA in Economics from Baghdad University. Head of the General Union of Palestinian Students in Iraq from 1971-4; deputy head of GUPS Executive Committee from 1974–80; Palestine Liberation Organization ambassador to Iraq from 1979-94... |
Deputy Prime Minister | Fatah Fatah Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found... |
| Salam Fayyad Salam Fayyad Salam Fayyad is a Palestinian politician and Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority of the Palestinian National Authority. His first appointment, on 15 June 2007, which was justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of "national emergency", has not been confirmed by the... |
Finance Minister Finance Minister of the Palestinian National Authority The Finance Minister of the Palestinian Authority is the head of the Palestinian National Authority branch that is in charge of finance. The minister deals with launching audits, collecting tax from Palestinian businesses and overseeing financial aid directed to the PNA... |
Third Way Third Way (Palestine) The Third Way is a small centrist Palestinian political party active in the Palestinian National Authority . Founded on 16 December 2005, the party is led by Salam Fayyad and Hanan Ashrawi.... |
| Ziad Abu Amr Ziad Abu Amr Ziad Abu Amr is a Palestinian politician, author, and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council. From 18 March 2007 to 17 June 2007, he was Foreign Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.-Background:... |
Foreign Affairs Minister Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority The Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority is in charge of foreign relations. In June 2006, Israel attacked the ministry's office in Gaza City twice... |
Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
| Talab al-Qawasmi Talab al-Qawasmi Talab al-Qawasmi is a Palestinian politician. He was born in Gaza, although his family originated from Hebron in the modern-day West Bank and emigrated to Gaza in 1949. Al-Qawasmi received his BA degree in Accounting from Cairo University and pursued his studies and got a high diploma in Human... |
Interior Minister Interior Minister of the Palestinian National Authority The Interior Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority is the branch of the Palestinian National Authority cabinet in charge of the security and statistics of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics is a sub-branch of the Interior Ministry that has the... |
Independent |
| Nasser Eddin al-Sha'er | Education Minister Education Minister of the Palestinian National Authority The Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the Palestinian National Authority is the branch of the Palestinian government in charge of managing the education in the Palestinian territories. It was established in 1994 after the formation of the Palestinian National Authority... |
Hamas |
| Mustafa al-Barghouthi | Information | Palestinian National Initiative Palestinian National Initiative Palestinian National Initiative is a Palestinian political movement or party led by Dr. Mustafa Barghouti.Its formation was formally announced on June 17, 2002 in Ramallah on the West Bank, part of the Palestinian Territories, by Dr. Haidar Abdel-Shafi, Dr... |
| Bassam al-Salhi Bassam Al-Salhi Bassam Al-Salhi is a General Secretary of the Palestinian People's Party and elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.He was the party's candidate for President of the Palestinian Authority in 2005... |
Culture | Palestinian People's Party Palestinian People's Party The Palestinian People's Party , founded in 1982 as the Palestinian Communist Party, is a socialist political party in the Palestinian territories and among the Palestinian diaspora.... |
| Radwan al-Akhras | Health | Fatah |
| Sa'di al-Krunz | Transport | Fatah |
| Mahmoud Aloul Mahmoud Aloul Mahmoud al-Aloul is the governor of the Palestinian Authority's Nablus governorate in the Central Highlands of the West Bank. He was elected to the Fatah Central Committee in August 2009.... |
Labour | Fatah |
| Saleh Zeidan | Social Affairs | Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist, secular political and military organization. It is also frequently referred to as the Democratic Front, or al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiyah... |
| Taysir Abu Sneineh | Prisoners' Affairs | Fatah |
| Samir Abu Eisheh Samir Abu Eisheh Samir Abu Eisheh is the former Planning Minister of the Palestinian National Authority . He served in the Palestinian Tenth Government and Eleventh Government as an expert in planning. He graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a PhD in Civil Engineering... |
Planning | Hamas |
| Mohammed al-Barghouthi | Local Government | Hamas |
| Ziad al-Thatha | Economic Affairs | Hamas |
| Basem Naim | Youth and Sports | Hamas |
| Yousef al-Mansi | Telecommunications and Information Technology | Hamas |
| Mohammed al-Agha | Agriculture | Hamas |
| Khouloud D'eibes | Tourism | Independent |
| Samih al-Abed | Public Works | Fatah |
| Ali al-Sartawi | Justice | Hamas |
| Hussein Tartouri | Waqf and Religious Affairs | Hamas |
| Amal Syam Amal Syam Amal Syam is a member of the Palestinian group Hamas. She served as the Minister of Women's Affairs in the current cabinet of the Palestinian National Authority.- References :... |
Woman Affairs | Hamas |
| Wasfi Kabha Wasfi Kabha Wasfi Kabha was the former Minister of Prisoners' Affairs of the Palestinian National Authority and is a Hamas member. He was detained by Israeli authorities in June along with other Hamas ministers and parliament members in a clampdown against their organization. During his eleven-day detainment... |
State | Hamas |