U.S. warned Abbas on unity government

Abbas aide Yasser Abed Rabbo urged the United States to deal with the government, lift the sanctions, and relaunch serious peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

"They want Abbas to take actions that lead to a civil war -- to protect past agreements that the Israelis have destroyed," he said. Factional warfare in Gaza in the two months leading up to the Mecca agreement had killed 90 Palestinians.

Palestinian officials said they had hoped Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally, would persuade the Americans not to reject the unity government deal out of hand.

"If the Americans are serious about advancing peace moves they must give this government a chance," Abbas's spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said. "This unity government enjoys support of all the Arabs, and the U.S. refusal to deal with such a government would be a challenge to the Arab consensus. (Additional reporting by Adam Entous)