The Second Haniyeh Government, also known as the Palestinian National Unity Government of March 2007 ( ar, المجلس الفلسطيني لآذار 17 2007), was a
Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, unity government headed by
Ismail Haniyeh, the
Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority that was formed on 17 March 2007 and dissolved on 14 June 2007.
[
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-lived. 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.][
The Government was dissolved by President Mahmoud Abbas on 14 June 2007 after the Hamas takeover of Gaza.
]
Background
Hamas decisively won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election
Legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories on 25 January 2006 in order to elect the second Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The result was a victory for Hamas ...
held on 25 January 2006. Israel and the Quartet on the Middle East had previously stated that their continued aid to and dialogue with the PA under a Hamas government was conditional on Hamas agreeing to three conditions: recognition of Israel, the disavowal of violent actions, and acceptance of previous agreements between Israel and the PA, including the Oslo Accords. Haniya refused to accept these conditions. On the day the First Haniyeh Government
The Palestinian Authority Government of March 2006, also known as the First Haniyeh Government, was a government of the Palestinian National Authority (PA), led by Ismail Haniyeh, that was sworn in on 29 March 2006 and was followed by the Pale ...
was sworn in, on 29 March, Israel and the Quartet stopped all dialogue with the PA and especially any member of the Hamas government, ceased providing aid to the PA and imposed sanctions against the PA under Hamas.[''Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people: Developments in the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory'']
para 9-24. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 6 July 2015 (doc.nr. TD/B/62/3)
Source
/ref>[''Israel’s retaliatory seizure of tax'']
pp. 10-11. Al-Haq, 1 April 2015
Here available
/ref>
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.[''Palestinian Vision for Resolving the Current PA Crisis (Draft #6'')]
The Palestine Papers, 30 October 2006. O
/ref>[''The Arab-Israeli Conflict: To Reach a Lasting Peace'']
, pp. 3-4.
Crisis Group Middle East Report N°58, 5 October 2006
Source
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 elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council
The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is the unicameral legislature of the Palestinian Authority, elected by the Palestinian residents of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It currently comprises 132 members, e ...
(PLC).
On 29 March 2006, the First Haniyeh-led PA government was sworn in. Israel, the United States, the European Union and several other countries impose sanctions against the PA, including suspension of all international aid.
On 17 June 2006, a ''temporary international mechanism'' was created to channel aid to Palestinians bypassing the Hamas-led PA government, including paying aid funds directly to the accounts of President Abbas.
On 8 February 2007, negotiations resulted in the Fatah–Hamas Mecca Agreement to form a Palestinian national unity government.[Middle East Report No. 62: After Mecca: Engaging Hamas](_blank)
, International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group (ICG; also known as the Crisis Group) is a transnational non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 1995. It is a think tank, used by policymakers and academics, performing research and analysis on global ...
(26 February 2007). The agreement was signed by Abbas on behalf of Fatah and by Khaled Mashal on behalf of Hamas. The agreement also contained a "letter of commission" from Abbas to Haniyeh, calling on Haniyeh as premier of the next government to achieve Palestinian national goals as approved by the Palestine National Council, the Basic Law and the National Reconciliation Document (the Prisoners' Document) as well as the decisions of the Arab summit.[''PM Hanieh Speech before the PLC March 17, 2007'']
JMCC. Archived on 4 October 2009 which was approved 83–3. At the time, 41 of the 132 members of the PLC were in Israeli detention.[ The 25 ministers were sworn in the next day by President Abbas.][''Palestinians OK Unity Govt'']
Arab News, 18 March 2007
JMCC. Archived on 4 October 20091967 borders
The Green Line, (pre-)1967 border, or 1949 Armistice border, is the demarcation line set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between the armies of Israel and those of its neighbors (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria) after the 1948 Arab–Is ...
, with al-Quds
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
as its capital,[ implementation of the Cairo Agreement pertaining to the PLO, and commitment to the ]Palestinian right of return
The Palestinian right of return is the political position or principle that Palestinian refugees, both first-generation refugees (c. 30,000 to 50,000 people still alive )"According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency – the main body ...
.[ Israel rejected the new government.
Between 10 and 14 June 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip after fierce battles between Fatah and Hamas.][Guardian, 15 June 2007]
''Hamas takes control of Gaza''
/ref>
On 14 June 2007, President Abbas declared a state of emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
by presidential decree, and dismissed the Haniyeh-led unity government.[''Presidential Decrees Issued on June - July 2007'']
JMCC, archived on 12 October 2007 He appointed an emergency government
A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or ...
led by Salam Fayyad and controversially suspended articles of the Basic Law to dispense with the need for PLC approval of the new government.
Members of the Government
March to June 2007[
]
See also
* Palestinian government
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palestinian National Unity Government of 2007 03
Palestinian Authority Government of 2007 03
Coalition governments
2007 establishments in the Palestinian territories
2007 disestablishments in the Palestinian territories
Cabinets established in 2007
Cabinets disestablished in 2007