Appointment as Prime Minister
Arafat appoints Abbas as the first Palestinian prime minister amid international demands for institutional reform and renewed negotiations.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
2003 in Palestine
Explore 16 historical events and records for Palestine in 2003.
Historical records for Palestine in 2003
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 16 of 16 unique records.
16Unique records
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4Places on this page
March
Mahmoud Abbas Nominated Prime Minister
Arafat nominates Mahmoud Abbas to become the first Palestinian prime minister after political reforms create the new office.
Constitution of Palestine
Serves as the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from March to October
Prime Minister of Palestine
Serves as the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from March to October
April
Mahmoud Abbas Cabinet Sworn In
Arafat swears in Mahmoud Abbas's cabinet as the Palestinian Authority adopts a new division of executive responsibilities.
Road Map for Peace
Receives the Quartet Road Map as the first Palestinian Prime Minister.
June
Aqaba Summit
Meets Bush and Sharon and commits to ending armed attacks.
Aqaba Summit
Abbas meets Sharon and President Bush at Aqaba and commits the Palestinian Authority to pursuing negotiations and ending armed violence.
Bombing of Erez Checkpoint
Rantissi is responsible for directing the Hamas-led attack in which four Israeli soldiers are killed at the Erez Checkpoint in the Gaza Strip
Palestinian Factions Truce
Hamas joins Islamic Jihad and Fatah in announcing a temporary suspension of attacks, creating a short-lived reduction in organized violence.
September
Hamas
Yassin further promised that Hamas would teach Israel an "unforgettable lesson" as a result of the assassination attempt. An Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-16 fired several missiles on a building in Gaza City, the Gaza Strip, Yassin was in the building at the time but survived
Resignation as Prime Minister
Abbas resigns after disputes over authority and security powers weaken his ability to implement the Road Map and confront armed factions.
Resignation of Mahmoud Abbas
Abbas resigns as Prime Minister after disputes over authority and security powers
October
Emergency Government Formed
Qurei heads an emergency Palestinian cabinet created after Abbas's resignation and renewed violence undermines the Road Map process.
Resignation of Mahmoud Abbas
Resigns citing lack of support from Israel and the United States as well as "internal incitement" against his Government
Other events (month unknown)
Constitution of Palestine
The office of Prime Minister is created by Parliament to curb Arafats authority
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.