Haaretz (Monday): Sharon to rebels -- Unity or elections

[Jack Rabbit]

From Haaretz (Tel Aviv)
Dated Monday July 12

PM to rebels: Unity or elections; Peres: Coalition talks soon
By Haaretz Service and Agencies

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, turning up pressure on Likud and National Religious Party "rebels" amid talks on a unity government with the opposition Labor Party, warned coalition legislators Monday that if they did not all vote with the government on no-confidence votes, he would either form a new coalition or move for new elections.
Sharon addressed the coalition MKs hours after the prime minister and Labor Party Chairman Shimon Peres met Monday morning in the first formal step toward forging a unity government.
Following the meeting, Peres told members of his own faction that he expected to begin formal negotiations with Sharon on forming a unity government to push ahead on a Gaza withdrawal.
Officials said that during the talks in the prime minister's official residence, Sharon invited Labor to open negotiations on joining his government, and officials close to both sides said they expected the two sides to reach a deal relatively quickly.

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