Palestinian Parliament Elected Members Attend Inaugural Session

GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP - FEBRUARY 18: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh attends the inaugural parliament session on February 18, 2006 in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. The inaugural session of the new Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament opened today in the West Bank city of Ramallah and was video-conferenced with Gaza City. The main leaders of the Islamist movement, all of whom are based in Gaza, were participating in the session by video conference after Israel barred them from traveling to the West Bank to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Hamas swept to a landslide victory over Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party on January 25, winning 74 of 132 seats in parliament. The parliament to be sworn in is only the second since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images)