Likud against joining Barak government

The opposition Likud party in Israel has again dismissed the idea of joining the government of the Prime Minister, Ehud Barak.

The party leader, Ariel Sharon, told Israel radio that Likud should not join the government because of concessions it was prepared to make to the Palestinians and its failure to handle domestic issues.

His comments came after Mr Barak raised the possibility of forming a government involving Likud if he failed to reach an agreement with the Palestinians. But he said he understood the reluctance of Mr Sharon to agree to join the government when the outcome of the peace process was not clear. Mr Barak has been without a majority in parliament since right-wing and religious parties left his coalition on the eve of last month's Camp David peace summit.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service