Israeli leader: Cancel Palestinian unity deal

[oberliner]

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's prime minister has made a last-minute appeal to the Palestinian president to cancel an impending unity deal with the Hamas militant group.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday the deal would deliver "a hard blow to the peace process."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction is scheduled to sign the reconciliation deal with Hamas on Wednesday in Cairo. The factions have led rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza for four years.

With peace efforts frozen, Abbas is instead focusing on internal Palestinian issues. Netanyahu said Abbas' alliance with Hamas would make it all but impossible to resume talks.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g7McrengTR_DFm_0PR3PFqEgIuOQ?docId=e6b414970c3a4d7e891f8b1eb67df1d9

[DCKit]

1. Can't rec, so I'll kick. nt