CHRONOLOGY-Key events since Hamas rose to power
Source: Reuters
Dec 15 (Reuters) - The ruling Hamas group accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah of starting a war after his security forces opened fire on Friday on a Hamas rally in the West Bank and firefights broke out in Gaza. Following is a chronology of key events since the Hamas Islamists won parliamentary elections: Jan. 25, 2006 - Hamas defeats Abbas's long-dominant Fatah movement in an upset victory. March 29 - Hamas government sworn in after other factions including Fatah refuse to join. United States severs contact with the new government. April 7 - United States and European Union suspend aid to the Palestinian government. May 17 - Government posts new Hamas-dominated security force on Gaza streets in a direct challenge to Abbas, who orders a rival deployment of police. Forces clash within days, foreshadowing internal tensions to come. June 25 - Hamas militants and other gunmen launch raid into Israel from Gaza, killing two soldiers and capturing an Israeli conscript, Corporal Gilad Shalit. Three days later Israel reinvades Gaza. June 29 - Israeli troops detain one third of the Palestinian cabinet and nearly two dozen Hamas lawmakers. Aug 16 - Abbas and Haniyeh say they will renew negotiations to form a unity government. Sept 11 - Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas announce agreement to form a unity administration. Talks quickly founder over what new cabinet's stance will be toward Israel and myriad other issues. Oct 1 - Worst internal Palestinian fighting in a decade kills nine Palestinians, raising fears of civil war. Nov 11 - Abbas, saying talks with Hamas had made progress, says unity government could be formed within weeks. Nov 13 - Palestinian officials say they close to agreement on naming a Gaza academic to replace Haniyeh as head of the new government. Nov 26 - Ceasefire in Gaza announced, ending five-month Israeli offensive that followed abduction of Shalit. Sporadic violence persists, but truce still in effect. Nov 30 - Abbas says unity talks at a "dead end". Dec 9 - Abbas's aides say the president, frustrated by failure of unity government talks, will call early elections.
| AlertNet news is provided by |  |
