Barak rejects Sharon coalition

Barak and Sharon: Partners no longer

Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak says he will not join a government of national unity led by Ariel Sharon, who beat him decisively in an election this month.

Mr Barak has also resigned as head of the Labour Party and confirmed that he intends to take a complete break from politics.

Mr Barak is reported to have sent a letter to Mr Sharon informing him of his decision not to take up the post of defence minister, offered to him after his defeat.

The announcement comes as a surprise, as less than a week ago Mr Barak accepted the offer to work in a coalition with the right-wing Likud party, prompting severe criticisms from within his own Labour Party.

Mr Sharon had given Labour until next Tuesday to make a decision.

Another turnaround

It is not Mr Barak's first turnaround since his crushing defeat on 6 February. On that day he announced he would resign from party leadership, parliament and leave politics for a time.

Barak's image is tarnished within sectors of his own party

A few days later he announced he had accepted Mr Sharon's invitation to take up the post of minister of defence.

A Likud-Labour coalition - Mr Sharon's best option for survival - seemed to be on course, according to analysts.

But negotiations between Israel's two main parties soon ran into trouble over the inclusion of far-right groups that reject compromise with the Palestinians.

Mr Barak said the Labour party would not join a government with the far-right, but the prime minister-elect insisted they would be part of the cabinet.

'Credibilty destroyed'

He is now reported to have accused Mr Sharon of destroying the credibility between them.

The BBC's Paul Adams in Jerusalem says that although it is not clear where Mr Barak's announcement leaves the coalition, it could make things easier for Mr Sharon who has until March to form a government.

Our correspondent says that Mr Barak's image, even among his own party colleagues, is severely tarnished.

Analysts say Mr Sharon's landslide victory in the elections was seen by many as a repudiation of Mr Barak's policy of offering far-reaching concessions to the Palestinians for peace.

A grim reminder of the Middle East crisis came together with Mr Barak's resignation with news of the death of Palestinian man in the West Bank village of Beit Jala. More than 410 people have died since the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising against Israel in September.