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Abbas sacks Hamas-led government Abbas sacks Hamas-led government
(about 2 hours later)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has dismissed the Hamas-led coalition government and declared a state of emergency.Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has dismissed the Hamas-led coalition government and declared a state of emergency.
Aides said the president would seek to call elections as soon as possible, after deadly clashes in the Gaza Strip. Aides said the president would seek to call elections as soon as possible, after deadly clashes between his Fatah faction and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
However, a Hamas spokesman immediately dismissed the president's decision. PM Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, said that Mr Abbas' decision was hasty and vowed to continue working for unity.
After a day of bitter fighting Hamas was said to be in total control of Gaza, having now also taken the presidential compound in Gaza City. Hamas says it is in total control of Gaza, taking the presidential compound.
More than 100 people have died during a week of violent battles on the streets of Gaza. More than 100 people have died on the streets of Gaza during a week of factional battles between Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas fighters overran most of Gaza throughout Thursday, capturing the headquarters of Fatah's Preventative Security force and hailing Gaza's "liberation". Aid suspended
What is happening now is not only the collapse of the Palestinian national unity government but actually the collapse of the whole Palestinian Authority Mustafa BarghoutiPalestinian Information Minister Q&A: Gaza chaos West Bank fears After nightfall militants entered Mr Abbas' presidential compound, which had been left undefended when Fatah men slipped away earlier.
Hamas celebrated the capture of the compound, describing it as the "last bastion" of Fatah's power in Gaza.
Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said Hamas was in total control of Gaza, adding that the crisis had wider implications.
"What is happening now is not only the collapse of the Palestinian national unity government but actually the collapse of the whole Palestinian Authority," he told the BBC.
'Outlaws'
After dismissing the government, Mr Abbas will now rule by presidential decree until the conditions are right for elections, a senior aide announced.After dismissing the government, Mr Abbas will now rule by presidential decree until the conditions are right for elections, a senior aide announced.
What is happening now is not only the collapse of the Palestinian national unity government but actually the collapse of the whole Palestinian Authority Mustafa Barghouti,Palestinian Information Minister Q&A: Gaza chaos West Bank fears
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave her backing to Mr Abbas, saying he had exercised his "lawful authority".
"We fully support him in his decisions to try to end this crisis for the Palestinian people and to give them an opportunity to return to peace and a better future," she said.
The crisis has now prompted the European Commission to suspend humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The BBC's Matthew Price in Jerusalem 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.The BBC's Matthew Price in Jerusalem 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.
An aide to Mr Abbas, Tayeb Abdel Rahim, announced the president's decision in the West Bank town of Ramallah. But Mr Haniya said Mr Abbas had taken "premature decisions that betray all agreements reached".
In practical terms these decisions are worthless Sami Abu ZuhriHamas spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5016012.stm">Rivals: Fatah and Hamas class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/6752817.stm">Voices: Life under Hamas "I [Abbas] have issued the following decree: the sacking of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya," AFP news agency quoted him as saying. He rejected the notion of a separate Gaza state, saying: "The Gaza Strip is an indivisible part of the homeland and its residents are an integral part of the Palestinian people."
"Second, the proclamation of the state of emergency in all the Palestinian territories because of the criminal war in the Gaza Strip, the taking over of the security services of the Palestinian Authority, the military coup and the armed rebellion by outlaws." Mr Haniya said he would maintain the national unity administration agreed with Fatah three months ago and would impose law and order decisively and legally.
Mr Abbas was also open to the idea of an international peacekeeping force being deployed in the region, his aide said. 'Outlaws'
But Hamas swiftly rejected Mr Abbas' decision. Hamas fighters overran most of Gaza on Thursday, capturing the headquarters of Fatah's Preventative Security force and hailing Gaza's "liberation".
"In practical terms these decisions are worthless," said spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. In practical terms these decisions are worthless Sami Abu ZuhriHamas spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5016012.stm">Rivals: Fatah and Hamas class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/6752817.stm">Voices: Life under Hamas
"Prime Minister Haniya remains the head of the government even if it was dissolved by the president," he told Reuters news agency. After nightfall militants entered Mr Abbas' presidential compound, which had been left undefended when Fatah men slipped away earlier.
Hamas won a surprise victory in Palestinian elections in early 2006, but has since been engaged in a violent power struggle with Mr Abbas' Fatah faction. Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said Hamas was in total control of Gaza.
"What is happening now is not only the collapse of the Palestinian national unity government but actually the collapse of the whole Palestinian Authority," he told the BBC.
Mr Abbas said he had issued his decree because of the "criminal war in the Gaza Strip" and the "armed rebellion by outlaws".
Hamas won a surprise victory in Palestinian elections in early 2006 but has since been engaged in a 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 the Jewish state.Fatah, a secular political grouping headed by Mr Abbas, ran the Palestinian Authority until 2006 and officially recognises the Jewish state.
The two groups were nominally working together in a three-month-old government of national unity.