Shimon Peres 'to join Sharon government'

Shimon Peres has decided to leave the Israeli Labour Party and join Ariel Sharon’s next government, a senior Sharon adviser said today.

The adviser, Lior Horev, said Peres would not join Sharon’s new party, Kadima.

“Tomorrow, he (Peres) will have a news conference,” Horev said.

“He will leave the Labour Party ... and will join the Sharon government and deal with the (development of) Galilee and the Negev,” Horev said, referring to two areas of Israel.