Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did the Fatah-Hamas coalition government fail in 2007?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Oslo Accords: Declaration of Principles on Palestinian Self-Rule — Palestinian Authority U.S. Pres. Bill Clinton (center) looking on as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (left) shakes hands with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat after the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Palestinian Self-Rule, September 1993.

The Fatah-Hamas coalition government, formed following the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, collapsed in June 2007 primarily due to an escalating and violent power struggle between the two factions.123

While the coalition was intended to bridge the political divide, tensions intensified as violence between Fatah and Hamas forces broke out in the Gaza Strip. After a week of intense fighting, Hamas forces defeated Fatah and seized full control of the Gaza Strip. In response to this takeover and the breakdown of the coalition, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led government and declared a state of emergency.234

This event resulted in a split administration: Hamas maintained control over the Gaza Strip, while a Fatah-led emergency cabinet took control of the West Bank. The international community, including the United States and the European Union, had previously imposed sanctions on the Hamas-led government due to the group's designation as a terrorist organization, further complicating the political environment during this period.143