Chronology • 4652005 Palestinians choose Mahmud Abbas to succeed Arafat in 9
January presidential election; Sharon offers to evacuate troops
and Jewish settlers from Gaza Strip and to open peace talks, if
Abbas closes down Hamas and other groups accused of terrorist
acts against Israel; Hamas and Islamic Jihad support Abbas's
plea for a cease-fire; attacks against US troops and Iraqi police
mount in Iraq; Iraqi voters (except for most Sunnis) turn out,
despite threats, to vote in elections on 30 January, but elected
assembly delays choosing ministers until, after long negotiations
due to strong sectarian interests, Iraqi Shi'is and Kurds form a
new government; former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri
assassinated in Beirut, causing anti- and pro-Syrian
demonstrations and Syria's decision to withdraw its troops
before Lebanon's National Assembly elections; Egyptians
demand that Mubarak open scheduled presidential elections
to opposition candidates; US mounts heavy pressure on Iran to
end its nuclear power research program.