Abbas swears in emergency government

Updated 16.24 Sun Jun 17 2007

Keywords: Fatah, Gaza, President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestine, Hamas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has sworn in an emergency government to try to end the crisis in Gaza.

Aides said the decrees would allow Abbas, who heads the secular Fatah, to keep a cabinet in place without parliamentary approval.

Hamas ousted Fatah from the Gaza Strip last week, inciting Abbas to dissolve the factions' coalition government and declare a state of emergency. Hamas had rejected the moves as a "coup"

Hamas ousted Fatah from the Gaza Strip last week, inciting Abbas to dissolve the factions' coalition government and declare a state of emergency. Hamas had rejected the moves as a "coup".

Under Palestinian law, an emergency government stays in power for a period not to exceed 30 days.

The state of emergency could be extended for another 30 days, but only after winning the approval of two thirds of the parliament.

Hamas holds a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council though Israeli arrests of its deputies make it difficult to reach a quorum and hold decision-making sessions. That could enable Abbas to keep the state of emergency in place longer.

Some Fatah officials and US diplomats have argued that Abbas could rule by decree for six months to a year ahead of new elections.