Sharon, Peres Reach Deal on Israel Unity Government

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=716&e=14&u=/nm/20041230/ts_nm/mideast_dc

Sharon, Peres Reach Deal on Israel Unity Government

By Matthew Tostevin

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reached a deal with Shimon Peres on Thursday to name the opposition leader his senior deputy, clearing a key obstacle to a unity government able to abandon the occupied Gaza Strip. <snip>

Most Israelis want to quit Gaza and right-winger Sharon has been negotiating with center-left Labour opponents on a unity government able to uproot settlers from the Palestinian territory and a small chunk of the West Bank next year.

To end legal wrangling over titles, Sharon and Peres agreed that the Labour leader and Nobel peace laureate would be the most senior "deputy to the prime minister" in the new coalition.

But the ruling Likud's Ehud Olmert would keep his position as the real next in line to Sharon with the title of "acting prime minister," standing in where necessary and taking over if Sharon dies, officials in Sharon's office said. <snip>

Israeli commentators said a government could be named as early as Monday. <snip>