This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6759269.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Arab League condemns Gaza 'crime' | Arab League condemns Gaza 'crime' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Arab nations have condemned the latest infighting in Gaza, pledging fresh support for the embattled Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | Arab nations have condemned the latest infighting in Gaza, pledging fresh support for the embattled Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| His Fatah faction has been ousted from Gaza by rival Hamas militants, ending a week of fierce feuding in which at least 100 people died. | |
| After talks in Cairo, Arab League foreign ministers urged Hamas and Fatah to end their rivalry and co-operate. | After talks in Cairo, Arab League foreign ministers urged Hamas and Fatah to end their rivalry and co-operate. |
| A key Hamas leader earlier said he remained willing to work with Mr Abbas. | A key Hamas leader earlier said he remained willing to work with Mr Abbas. |
| Khaled Meshaal, Hamas's political leader, who lives in exile in Syria, said Mr Abbas remained the "legitimate" president. | |
| However, Hamas declared as illegal an earlier decree by Mr Abbas that replaced its Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya. | However, Hamas declared as illegal an earlier decree by Mr Abbas that replaced its Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya. |
| Mr Abbas, who is in the West Bank, named former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad as his new prime minister after dissolving the Hamas-led national unity government. | Mr Abbas, who is in the West Bank, named former Finance Minister Salam Fayyad as his new prime minister after dissolving the Hamas-led national unity government. |
| US support | US support |
| Following emergency talks between Arab League foreign ministers, the body's spokesman, Amr Moussa, said there must be an "immediate and full halt" to the violence, which he described as criminal. | Following emergency talks between Arab League foreign ministers, the body's spokesman, Amr Moussa, said there must be an "immediate and full halt" to the violence, which he described as criminal. |
| Gazans tell of fears Images: Abbas office stormed | Gazans tell of fears Images: Abbas office stormed |
| "We are seeking a national unity in Palestine and we stand against the events that we have witnessed in the last days," he said. | "We are seeking a national unity in Palestine and we stand against the events that we have witnessed in the last days," he said. |
| He said Arab nations wanted to "serve the Palestinian cause, and not one faction against another". | He said Arab nations wanted to "serve the Palestinian cause, and not one faction against another". |
| The Arab League agreed to form a committee that would support efforts by Saudi Arabia and Egypt to mediate between Fatah and Hamas. | The Arab League agreed to form a committee that would support efforts by Saudi Arabia and Egypt to mediate between Fatah and Hamas. |
| According to the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo, these Arab governments regard the Palestinian problem as a festering sore breeding militancy and radicalising populations in the region. | According to the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo, these Arab governments regard the Palestinian problem as a festering sore breeding militancy and radicalising populations in the region. |
| The group of Middle East mediators known as the Quartet - the US, UN, EU and Russia - have also thrown their weight behind Mr Abbas, pledging him their "full support". | The group of Middle East mediators known as the Quartet - the US, UN, EU and Russia - have also thrown their weight behind Mr Abbas, pledging him their "full support". |
| A US state department spokesman said the Quartet was examining ways of helping a new Palestinian government, headed by Mr Abbas's nominee. | |
| "This is a government that intends to abide by the principles that previous Palestinian governments had prior to the Hamas-led government," the spokesman, Sean McCormack, said. | "This is a government that intends to abide by the principles that previous Palestinian governments had prior to the Hamas-led government," the spokesman, Sean McCormack, said. |
| Western boycott | Western boycott |
| 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. |
| 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 Profile: Salam Fayyad Q&A: Gaza chaos How Hamas took over | 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 Profile: Salam Fayyad Q&A: Gaza chaos How Hamas took over |
| He said he would rule by presidential decree until the conditions were right for early elections. | He said he would rule by presidential decree until the conditions were right for early elections. |
| His nominee to replace Mr Haniya, Mr Fayyad, is a former World Bank economist. | His nominee to replace Mr Haniya, Mr Fayyad, is a former World Bank economist. |
| Western nations have boycotted Hamas, considered a terrorist organisation by the US and EU, since it won elections in January 2006. | Western nations have boycotted Hamas, considered a terrorist organisation by the US and EU, since it won elections in January 2006. |
| 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 the Islamist Hamas and the West Bank by the secular 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 the Islamist Hamas and the West Bank by the secular Fatah. |
| There are also fears that violence will spread to the West Bank, where Fatah is dominant. | There are also fears that violence will spread to the West Bank, where Fatah is dominant. |
| Human Rights Watch has urged both factions to treat civilians humanely and prevent summary killings. | Human Rights Watch has urged both factions to treat civilians humanely and prevent summary killings. |
| Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director, said: "Killing people who are in your custody and under your control... constitutes an extremely grave offence, in fact, a war crime." | Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director, said: "Killing people who are in your custody and under your control... constitutes an extremely grave offence, in fact, a war crime." |