Cheney says Hamas-Fatah deal unlikely

US Vice President Dick Cheney said on Monday he did not believe Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would agree to reconcile with Hamas until the Islamist group gave up control of the Gaza Strip.

Cheney ended a three-day visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank on Monday aimed at bolstering Israel-Palestinian peace talks, which Washington hopes will lead to a deal on Palestinian statehood by January 2009. (Reuters)