appointed Acting Prime Minister, assumes post of
Prime Minister 13 April
25 January: Elections held in Palestine Authority
Legislative, won by Hamas’ Change and Reform Party
21 February: Palestinian President Abbas invites
Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh to form a government.
Hamas-led Cabinet sworn in on 29 March
7 April: United States and European Union cut off all
direct aid to Hamas-led government
25 June: Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit captured by
Palestinians in Gaza; Israel begins an offensive on
Gaza Strip
12 July: Israel-Lebanon War begins
11 September: President Abbas and Prime Minister
Haniyeh agree to form a national unity government
but, less than two weeks later, violence erupts
between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza Strip that contin-
ues into 2007
2007
8 February: President Abbas and Prime Minister
Haniyeh sign the Mecca agreement, forming a unity
government between Hamas and Fatah, brokered by
Saudi Arabia. Israel rejects agreement, America
expresses some reservations, and EU welcomes it.
Clashes between supporters of the two parties con-
tinue in Gaza Strip
19 February: A Trilateral Israeli-Palestinian-
American summit is held with US Secretary of State
Condoleeza Rice, PM Ehud Olmert, and President
Abbas, but with no result
31 May: British university professors announce boy-
cott of Israeli universities to demonstrate solidarity
with Palestinian people
14 June: After renewed clashes between Fatah and
Hamas, Hamas takes control of Gaza Strip. Israel
closes all crossings into the area. President Abbas asks Salam Fayad to form emergency government to
replace unity government
27 November: US President George W. Bush hosts