Israeli Labour outlines coalition conditions

The leader of Israel’s Labour Party today rebuffed Ariel Sharon’s invitation to formal coalition negotiations, but said he might change his mind if the prime minister agreed to an unconditional renewal of peace talks with the Palestinians.

It was unlikely Sharon would agree to Amram Mitzna’s conditions, which seemed in part aimed at countering charges that Labour was unpatriotic in its refusal to set aside differences at a time of crisis.