Israel has ruled out negotiations with any Palestinian government that includes Hamas, just hours after the militant group agreed to join its rival Fatah in an interim administration. Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said the deal marked the "crossing of a red line" and warned the accord could lead to the group's takeover of the West Bank.
Hamas, which took more than half the seats in the Palestinian parliament after a 2006 election, effectively governs the Gaza Strip. It pushed out security forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in bloody clashes a year later. Fatah, led by Mr Abbas, dominates the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank and leads negotiations with Israel.
Fatah delegation chief Azzam al Ahmad said the two factions, which have been in dispute ever since, had agreed to set up a "government of independents". "This government will be tasked with preparing for presidential and legislative elections within a year."