Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas attends a celebration on November 16, 2011 in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The celebration was timed to mark seven years since the death of veteran leader Yasser Arafat and the 23rd anniversary of their declaration of independence. Abbas pledged to "speed up" work with Hamas to form a new caretaker government and to prepare for fresh elections. Photo by Thaer Ganaim