Palestinians take step toward unity

After months of wavering, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas took a decisive step yesterday toward reconciliation with the Islamic militant group Hamas, a move Israel promptly warned would close the door to any future peace talks.

In a deal brokered by Qatar, Abbas will head an interim unity government to prepare for general elections in the Palestinian territories in the coming months. The agreement appeared to bring reconciliation - key to any statehood ambitions - within reach for the first time since the two sides set up rival Palestinian governments in the West Bank and Gaza in 2007.