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| Abbas appoints new Palestinian PM | Abbas appoints new Palestinian PM |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a new prime minister, a day after dissolving the Hamas-led unity coalition, officials say. | Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a new prime minister, a day after dissolving the Hamas-led unity coalition, officials say. |
| Former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, an independent, has been asked to take over and form an emergency government. | Former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, an independent, has been asked to take over and form an emergency government. |
| The move comes amid political upheaval in Gaza, where Hamas has forcibly taken control from its Fatah rivals. | |
| But Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, says he is still prime minister and has vowed to disregard Mr Abbas's decisions. | But Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, says he is still prime minister and has vowed to disregard Mr Abbas's decisions. |
| A former World Bank executive, Mr Fayyad is a well-respected figure internationally. | A former World Bank executive, Mr Fayyad is a well-respected figure internationally. |
| In recent months, foreign governments have chosen to deal with him directly as a means of bypassing Hamas, but Hamas has already rejected the appointment, saying it views the entire interim administration as illegal. | In recent months, foreign governments have chosen to deal with him directly as a means of bypassing Hamas, but Hamas has already rejected the appointment, saying it views the entire interim administration as illegal. |
| "It is a coup against legitimacy and a transgression of all the laws," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the AFP news agency. | |
| Fighting ebbs | Fighting ebbs |
| An uneasy calm has returned to the Strip after a week of fierce fighting between members of Mr Abbas's Fatah movement and Hamas, which has claimed at least 100 lives. | An uneasy calm has returned to the Strip after a week of fierce fighting between members of Mr Abbas's Fatah movement and Hamas, which has claimed at least 100 lives. |
| SALAM FAYYAD Born in 1952 near West Bank city of TulkarmHolds a PhD in economics from the University of TexasWorked at the World Bank in Washington from 1987-1995IMF representative to Palestine until 2001Finance minister under the Fatah-controlled administration from 2002-2005Credited with cracking down on official corruption Q&A: Gaza chaos Reaction in quotes How Hamas took over On its first day of rule, Hamas said it had released several top Fatah military commanders under a prisoner "amnesty". | SALAM FAYYAD Born in 1952 near West Bank city of TulkarmHolds a PhD in economics from the University of TexasWorked at the World Bank in Washington from 1987-1995IMF representative to Palestine until 2001Finance minister under the Fatah-controlled administration from 2002-2005Credited with cracking down on official corruption Q&A: Gaza chaos Reaction in quotes How Hamas took over On its first day of rule, Hamas said it had released several top Fatah military commanders under a prisoner "amnesty". |
| Vehicles returned to the roads and shops were open in Gaza. Few armed men were visible on the streets and there were reports of only sporadic gunfire. | Vehicles returned to the roads and shops were open in Gaza. Few armed men were visible on the streets and there were reports of only sporadic gunfire. |
| The relative calm followed scenes of violence on Thursday as Hamas fighters seized remaining Fatah positions including the headquarters of the Preventative Security force and the presidential compound in Gaza City. | The relative calm followed scenes of violence on Thursday as Hamas fighters seized remaining Fatah positions including the headquarters of the Preventative Security force and the presidential compound in Gaza City. |
| Hamas said it had captured several top Fatah military leaders, including the commanders of the National Security force and of the Presidential Guard, but would release them unharmed. | Hamas said it had captured several top Fatah military leaders, including the commanders of the National Security force and of the Presidential Guard, but would release them unharmed. |
| Meanwhile, Egyptian police said that 97 senior Fatah officials had fled from Gaza into Egypt overnight aboard a fishing boat. | Meanwhile, Egyptian police said that 97 senior Fatah officials had fled from Gaza into Egypt overnight aboard a fishing boat. |
| About 100 other Fatah security workers have already sought refuge in Egypt. | About 100 other Fatah security workers have already sought refuge in Egypt. |
| A further 3,000 Palestinian civilians are now stranded on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing which is closed. Rafah provides the people of Gaza with their only point of access to the outside world. | A further 3,000 Palestinian civilians are now stranded on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing which is closed. Rafah provides the people of Gaza with their only point of access to the outside world. |
| Hamas has said it intends to take control of the crossing point. However, it is not certain that Israel, Egypt and the European monitors who operated the facility will allow that. | Hamas has said it intends to take control of the crossing point. However, it is not certain that Israel, Egypt and the European monitors who operated the facility will allow that. |
| Rule by decree | Rule by decree |
| President Abbas dismissed the three-month-old unity government on Thursday and declared a state of emergency. | President Abbas dismissed the three-month-old unity government on Thursday and declared a state of emergency. |
| He has said he will rule by presidential decree until the conditions are right for early elections. | He has said he will rule by presidential decree until the conditions are right for early elections. |
| Voices: Life under Hamas West Bank fears href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6757053.stm">Images: Abbas office stormed | |
| Under the Palestinian Basic Law, essentially the Palestinian constitution, the president can rule by decree for 30 days. This can be extended with the approval of the parliament. | Under the Palestinian Basic Law, essentially the Palestinian constitution, the president can rule by decree for 30 days. This can be extended with the approval of the parliament. |
| The BBC's Matthew Price in Jerusalem says this may be an irrelevance, as Mr Abbas appears to no longer have any influence in Gaza. | The BBC's Matthew Price in Jerusalem says this may be an irrelevance, as Mr Abbas appears to no longer have any influence in Gaza. |
| Our correspondent says the West Bank and Gaza Strip will now effectively be split from one another - Gaza run by Hamas and the West Bank by Fatah. | Our correspondent says the West Bank and Gaza Strip will now effectively be split from one another - Gaza run by Hamas and the West Bank by Fatah. |
| There are also fears that violence will spread to the West Bank, where Fatah is dominant. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated to Fatah, has called for "martial law". | There are also fears that violence will spread to the West Bank, where Fatah is dominant. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated to Fatah, has called for "martial law". |
| Hamas won a surprise victory in Palestinian elections in early 2006 but has since been engaged in an intermittently violent power struggle with Fatah. | Hamas won a surprise victory in Palestinian elections in early 2006 but has since been engaged in an intermittently violent power struggle with Fatah. |
| Hamas, an Islamic organisation, rose to prominence in Gaza during two Palestinian uprisings and refuses to recognise or negotiate with Israel. | Hamas, an Islamic organisation, rose to prominence in Gaza during two Palestinian uprisings and refuses to recognise or negotiate with Israel. |
| Fatah, a secular political grouping headed by Mr Abbas, ran the Palestinian Authority until 2006 and officially recognises Israel. | Fatah, a secular political grouping headed by Mr Abbas, ran the Palestinian Authority until 2006 and officially recognises Israel. |