Called "Wakseh," meaning humiliation and collapse due to self-inflicted damage, by Palestinians, the Fatah-Hamas Conflict is also known as the Palestinian Civil War. Tensions between the two groups began to increase after the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004 and erupted after the January 2006 elections in which Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian National Authority, marking Fatah as the major opposition political party. Fighting first broke out in December, 2006 and has been concentrated in the Gaza Strip. Currently, the Palestinian territories remain divided between The West Bank, which is controlled by Fatah forces, and the Gaza Strip, which remains under control of Hamas. Following the January 2009 Israeli ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas increased their crackdown of Fatah activists, allegedly holding them prisoner and torturing the members of Fatah.
Fatah-Hamas Conflict Central Figures
- Fatah
- Time: Palestine to Get Emergency Funds (2007)
- Hamas
- The Independent: Priority in Gaza is 'food and peace' (2007)
- Mahmoud Abbas
- Time: Abbas to Bush: Push Peace Talks (2007)
References
Fast Facts
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March 2006
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June 2007
Hamas took control of Gaza; dismissed from Palestinian government by Mahmoud Abbas
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June 2007
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January 2009
Hamas invaded by Israeli military, including ground forces, following break of cease fire, Fatah-Hamas tensions continue to grow over split in policy
