Special report: Hamas-led cabinet takes office

    GAZA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya affirmed on Tuesday that a civil war will not happen in the Palestinian territories.

    "Such a war was a red line which is not found in the Palestinian dictionary," said the Hamas prime minister.

    Haneya made the remarks before attending a meeting with the higher committee of Palestinian national and Islamic factions held in Gaza after rival militants of his Hamas and the Fatah movement clashed on Monday, which left a Jordanian embassy staff dead.

    "The meeting comes as part of consultations and exchange of opinions on how to face dangers surrounding our Palestinian people and cooperate with all factions to ease our people's ordeal and lift the siege," Haneya told reporters.

    Commenting on the latest Gaza armed clashes, Haneya assured the Palestinians not to worry despite of the painful incidents, urging them to unite and face the real problem which is the Israeli occupation.

    Fatah and Hamas militants have been in constant armed clashes since early May mainly in the Gaza Strip over power struggle and security control.

    Hamas, a radical militant group against Israeli occupation,came to power and formed the Palestinian government after its victory in a January Palestinian legislative election, defeating the long dominant Fatah movement, which is under President Mahmoud Abbas now. Enditem