Sharon and Barak discuss national unity last week.

	It's surely nothing (but) personal Sarah Honig, Jerusalem Post
	Don't do it, Arik Yosef Goell, Jerusalem Post
	Yeshiva draft deferment issue may delay coalition
	Labor leaders aim to thwart Ehud Barak
	Ben Wedeman: A dramatic turnabout in Israeli politics CNN
	Amotz Asa-el says the Labor and Likud parties will definitely form a national unity government. Jerusalem Post
	Prime Minister's Office
	The Knesset

The coalition talks between the Likud and Labor parties have stalled, delaying Ariel Sharon's chances for the quick formation of a national unity government. Various issues separate the two parties, including the growing opposition to Ehud Barak within the Labor Party.

Ariel Sharon has begun to distance himself from Ehud Barak, stating that he negotiates with parties and not with individuals. The Prime Minister-elect urged the Labor Party to get past its internal political squabbles and return to the negotiating table to form a national unity government as soon as possible.

Likud party leaders are becoming impatient with Labor's internal politics. Party whip Reuven Rivlin said that the Likud "invited Barak because he was the head of the Labor Party, but it doesn't have to be him." Rivlin said that the Likud had not ruled out the possibility of forming a narrow government if the Labor Party doesn't get its act together soon.

Barak's closest supporters began to look for ways to blame a possible failure of coalition negotiations on issues rather than on Ehud Barak. Knesset Member Weizman Shiri, closely identified with Barak, said "Barak would not join the government if Sharon makes a deal with Shas to prevent the drafting of yeshiva students and permits [National Union leader Rechavam Zeevy] Gandhi and [Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor] Lieberman to join the coalition." Shiri added, "The national unity government is getting farther away."

Unresolved issues
Unresolved issues that separate the Likud and Labor parties include the direction of the future government in peace efforts. Ariel Sharon clarified that he would manage all future peace negotiations from the Prime Minister's office, a move that limits the autonomy of Shimon Peres, who is expected to be named Foreign Minister. Sharon's statement angered Labor politicians, who refuse to see themselves as "rubber stamps" in a Sharon-led government. There was also reportedly disagreement over whether the government would pursue interim agreements, as the Likud prefers, or phased agreements, as Labor prefers.

Likud and Labor negotiators also have not finalized the government's position on the passage of a Knesset law deferring conscription for yeshiva students, which is a precondition for the inclusion of the Shas and United Torah Judaism in the government.

In addition, Ariel Sharon has so far been unwilling to exclude the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu -National Union party from the national unity coalition government.

Opposition to the inclusion of Ehud Barak in a national unity government continued to spread yesterday. National Religious Party Knesset Member Shaul Yahalom stated that his party would not join Sharon's coalition if Barak was appointed Defense Minister. "It is not feasible that someone who failed as prime minister and defense minister, and who is no longer considered chairman of his own party, should be appointed to a key position after his political and security policies suffered a crushing defeat in the last election," Yahalom said.

Members of Ehud Barak's own party apparently share Shaul Yahalom's opinion.

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