President Moshe Katzav officially entrusted Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this afternoon with the task of forming Israel's next government. Sharon met with Katzav late this afternoon at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. The representatives of 87 MKs recommended Sharon as the next Prime Minister. Only Labor (19 seats), Meretz (6), and the Arab parties (8) did not recommend Sharon.
The Likud's coalition negotiating team, headed by close Sharon advisor Uri Shani, has sent formal invitations to the Zionist parties, asking them to partake in coalition negotiations. The official talks will begin tomorrow; Sharon has 42 days to form a new government, and can then receive another 42 days if he is not successful. The Labor Party has decided not to even form a negotiating team, as a sign of its resolve not to join a Sharon-led government.