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Sharon And Barak Join Hands To Convince Israelis Of Coalition
JERUSALEM, Feb 19 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Israel's outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak has delayed a key meeting of his Labor party that was to decide whether to forge a political alliance with rightwing Likud leader and premier-elect, Ariel Sharon, a party official told news agencies Monday.
Sharon and his vanquished rival agreed last Thursday to form a national unity government, but the Labor leader has since faced a rebellion among disgruntled colleagues over the deal and his plans to take on the role of defense minister.
Labor's central committee was due to discuss the party's inclusion in a national unity government on Tuesday, but the meeting has now been postponed until Sunday, said a spokesman for the Labor party, parliamentary whip Ofer Pines.
"At the moment, nothing has been agreed," he said. "The committee needs something to vote on and we have nothing to vote on at the moment."
In the meantime, representatives of the two parties are to continue negotiations later Monday, Israeli radio reported.
Sharon, who thrashed Barak in prime ministerial elections nearly two weeks ago, faces an end of March deadline to form a government, and press reports said he had hoped to present it to the parliament next week.
Barak has come under fire from leading Labor members - and potential rivals for the party leadership - over his acceptance of the role of defense minister under Sharon despite his announcement on election night that he was quitting politics.
Barak was expected to meet influential members of his center-left Labor Party to try to put down opposition to his plan to join forces with Sharon's right-wing Likud Party. Labor could meet to consider the coalition plan as early as Tuesday.
Sharon and Barak, who say joining forces is the best way to tackle nearly five months of a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, are also closely watching the crisis involving Baghdad following U.S. and British air strikes against Iraq on Friday.
Sharon, who takes over as prime minister when he has formed a government, appealed to opponents not to derail coalition plans in a statement issued on Sunday. "Unity among the people, in light of the difficult security situation as well as the political challenges facing us, is more important than narrow political interests,'' he said.
The online edition of the rightwing daily, The Jerusalem Post, said that Sharon distanced himself from Barak yesterday by saying he negotiates with parties and not individuals.
Political observers interpreted this as a sign that Sharon sees the writing on the wall and knows that Barak may crumble under internal party pressure. Sharon met with Barak rival Haim Ramon on Saturday at his farm and is scheduled to meet with Justice Minister Yossi Beilin, at Beilin's request, in the Knesset today.
Beilin and Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami have expressed bitter opposition to the coalition. "I really expect this government of opposites that they want to form to be constantly stuck and I would really advise the Labor Party not to be a part of this,'' Ben-Ami told Israel's Army Radio Monday.
Sharon reiterated Sunday evening he wants as wide a government as possible. Likud whip Reuven Rivlin said the prime minister-elect has not ruled out the possibility of forming a narrow government if Labor does not get its act together by the end of the week, the Jerusalem Post said.
"We say we invited Barak because he was the head of the Labor Party, but it doesn't have to be him," Rivlin said. "Our patience is reserved for Labor, not necessarily Barak. We are not threatening, but we want it done and when it comes to Labor, we have to raise an eyebrow [in skepticism]."
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