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Likud negotiators yesterday turned their attention to additional potential coalition partners on the right. An offer of the Interior Ministry portfolio to the Shas party provoked the rage of Natan Sharansky's Yisrael Ba'aliya faction, which threatened not to join the national unity government.

Shas Council of Torah Sages Secretary Raphael Pinhasi announced that "the Interior Ministry is our hands" upon emerging from negotiations with the Likud party. According to Pinhasi, Shas was also promised the Labor and Social Affairs, Health, and Religious Affairs portfolios, with discussion still continuing over a fifth ministry.

Yisrael Ba'aliya leader Natan Sharansky told the Likud that if Shas gets the Interior Ministry, his Russian immigrants party would stay out of the coalition. Sharansky canceled his scheduled meeting with Likud negotiators, but eventually came to the session when the Likud publicized a statement saying that Shas had yet to be promised specific portfolios.

Ha'aretz reported today that while Sharansky would like the Interior Ministry portfolio for his party, Yisrael Ba'aliya conditions joining the government on not allowing Shas to receive the ministry.

A possible solution, according to the Ha'aretz report, would assign the Interior Ministry to the Likud, and give Sharansky's party the Ministry of Education. This, in turn, would infuriate the National Religious Party, which has requested the Education portfolio. Likud sources told Ha'aretz that if the party gives away the Education portfolio, it would be Ariel Sharon's first broken promise. The Prime Minister-elect stated during the campaign that the Likud would receive the Ministry of Education.

The Likud negotiating team also met yesterday with Rechavam Ze'evi and Avigdor Lieberman. The National Unity faction reportedly was offered the Infrastructure and Environment portfolios, but has insisted instead on chairmanship of the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.

Coalition talks, held at the office of Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, continued late into the night on Wednesday. Olmert told Israel Radio yesterday that he expected the talks to be finished by the weekend.

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