Nothing - not Shas\' abstention in yesterday\'s budget-cutting vote, not a personal letter from Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, and not even the fatal terrorist attack last night - was able to convince Prime Minister Sharon last night from retracting his dismissal of the four Shas government ministers. The firings thus took effect shortly after midnight, and with the departure of Shas (17 MKs) and United Torah Judaism (5) from the coalition, it now numbers exactly half the Knesset - 60 MKs. Sharon and his partners will have difficulty governing in this manner, and it is therefore expected that negotiations to expand the government will begin very soon. The Likud will turn first to the right-wing National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu (7 seats), while leaving the anti-religious Shinui party (6) on hold in order to leave the door open for Shas. Neither Likud nor Shas sources deny the possibility of a quick return of Shas to the coalition.