Rabbi Yitzchak Levy of the NRP said that the Likud rejected the NRP's demand for the Education Ministry, and that the matter may have to be brought before Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "We don’t accept this automatic rejection," Levy said. "[Former Likud Prime Ministers] Yitzchak Shamir and Binyamin Netanyahu understood the importance of this portfolio for the NRP and the special contribution that we can make, and we are not planning to give up so easily." Earlier today, NRP leader Effie Eitam told Israel Radio today that in light of the deep differences that have come to the surface between his party and Shinui, "it is currently unreasonable for the NRP to sit in the same government as Shinui."