غزة « ĞAZ:AḦ »
— English: Gaza.
— Seat of government: غزة « Ğaz:aḧ ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Legislature originally elected, and chose the prime minister, but devolved to one-party state.
— Governing party: حماس « Hamās ».
— Heads of government: اسماعيل هنية « Ɔismācīl Hanīaḧ », prime minister; خالد مشعل « Xālid Mašacal », leader in exile.
— Chief opposition party: فتح « Fatah ».
— Assessment: Radical state formed in 2007 after fighting between حماس « Hamās » and فتح « Fatah » led to a collapse of the unified سلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية « Sultaḧ ɔal-Ŭatanīaḧ ɔal-Filastīnīaḧ ». حماس « Hamās » leaders أحمد ياسين « Ɔahmad Jāsīn » and عبد العزيز الرنتيسي « Cabd ɔul-Cazīz ɔal-Rantīsī » were both assassinated in 2004 by ישראל « Jiśraɔel ». ישראל « Jiśraɔel » withdrew completely from غزة « Ğaz:aḧ » in 2005, including relocating its colonists, but temporarily reoccupied parts of the territory in 2006 after a cross-border raid instigated by مشعل « Mašacal ». حماس « Hamās » won elections for all of فلسطين « Filastīn » in 2006, but was never allowed to take full control of the سلطة « Sultaḧ ». Another major assault by ישראל « Jiśraɔel » began in late 2008 in response to continued rocket attacks. In 2014, after yet another destructive war with ישראל « Jiśraɔel », a unity government was ostensibly formed with فتح « Fatah » for all of فلسطين « Filastīn », allowing the سلطة « Sultaḧ » back into غزة « Ğaz:aḧ ».
— FH: 7-6, not free. Econ: 4.80 (103), hybrid (for فلسطين « Filastīn » as a whole).
— Updated: 2014 November 29.
O.T. FORD