The national unity government negotiations are entering their last phase, with Labor in disarray and Likud more or less united. Following Ehud Barak\'s announcement that he has responded positively to Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon\'s call to serve as Defense Minister, and that Shimon Peres will serve as Foreign Minister, Chaim Ramon has come out fighting. He says that he will attempt to have the party reject Barak\'s proposals when it convenes next week. Labor\'s five other government ministers will apparently be Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Raanan Cohen, Dalia Itzik, Matan Vilnai, and Avraham Shochat. Ramon, Shlomo Ben-Ami, and Yossi Beilin say they will not join the unity government; they, as well as Minister Yuli Tamir and MKs Yael Dayan and Collete Avital, are likely to lead the efforts against joining the unity government.
The Likud, too, will have seven government ministers, not including Prime Minister Sharon. These will probably be Silvan Shalom (Finance), Limor Livnat, Meir Shetreet, Ruby Rivlin, Yehoshua Matza, Danny Naveh, and Tzippy Livni. Michael Eitan and Uzi Landau will apparently be left out.
The Likud, too, will have seven government ministers, not including Prime Minister Sharon. These will probably be Silvan Shalom (Finance), Limor Livnat, Meir Shetreet, Ruby Rivlin, Yehoshua Matza, Danny Naveh, and Tzippy Livni. Michael Eitan and Uzi Landau will apparently be left out.