In wake of Hamas victory in Gaza, who governs?

Prime Minister Haniyeh insists the existing government will continue to operate, even as President Abbas announces a dissolution of the Hamas-Fatah coalition.

posted June 15, 2007 at 2:45 p.m. EDT

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JERUSALEM - Hamas flags flapped triumphantly over the Gaza Strip Friday as the Islamic Resistance Movement, once an underground group in the West Bank and Gaza, celebrated after having trounced forces loyal to the more moderate Fatah movement in six days of civil war.

But on its first day of complete control over Gaza, Hamas found itself largely isolated as regional Arab and international supporters of Middle East peace expressed alarm at the violence and scrambled to deal with the complete breakdown of the Palestinian Authority into two entities: an Islamic militant ministate in Gaza and a Fatah-run government clinging to power in the West Bank.

Late Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas put an end to the façade of a functioning Palestinian unity government by announcing the dissolution of the Hamas-Fatah coalition and declaring a state of emergency throughout the Palestinian territories. On Friday, he announced the formation of an emergency interim government and made his internationally respected former finance minister, Salam Fayyad, the new prime minister.

Mr. Fayyad, a former World Bank official who spent some 20 years in the US and holds a PhD in economics, has maintained good relations with the West and with Israel. Considered a moderate and an independent, he belongs to neither Fatah nor Hamas.

Hamas, for its part, has refused to recognize the dissolution of the government. Hamas's Ismail Haniyeh, who became prime minister shortly after Hamas swept up a majority of votes in Palestinian elections in January 2006, addressed Palestinians in a televised press conference Thursday as if he was still premier. "The existing government will carry out its duties and tasks in the best possible way, and will not give up its duties towards the Palestinian people," Mr. Haniyeh said.

In earlier comments, Haniyeh charged that the turmoil of the past few days was Fatah's fault. He charged that Fatah has abused its power and persecuted Islamists. "They pushed people into reacting," Haniyeh said. Haniyeh also called for restraint and suggested that Hamas wanted to return to a "national dialogue."

Throughout the week, however, Mr. Abbas's pleas that Hamas declare a cease-fire and return to talks with Fatah went unheeded. The embattled Palestinian president has indicated now that it's too late for dialogue.

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