Abbas to head interim Palestinian government

DOHA, Qatar - Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas will head an interim national consensus government under a deal signed in Qatar on Monday, ending a long-running disagreement that had stalled Palestinian reconciliation.

The full line-up of the government, which will supervise the run-up to long-delayed presidential and legislative elections, will be announced in Cairo next week at a meeting of all the Palestinian factions.

The deal was sealed by Fatah head Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal at a ceremony in Doha in the presence of Qatar's emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.