Labor party leader Shimon Peres, chosen to form a new Israeli government, invited toppled Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir Wednesday to join him in a new coalition - but Shamir predictably said no.
"Peres called Shamir and invited him to join a broad government, and the prime minister told him: `We of the Likud have a decision not to join a government led by Peres,' " a spokeswoman for Shamir told Reuters."Peres asked him: `Is that final?' And the prime minister said: `Yes, that's the decision,' " she said.
The telephone call was widely seen as a tactical move by Peres, who has committed his party to forming the broadest possible government devoted to Middle East peace.
President Chaim Herzog Tuesday night chose Peres over Shamir to form the next government.
The Labor-Likud coalition government collapsed last week because of differences over U.S. proposals for Israel's first peace talks with Palestinians. Labor ousted Shamir in a parliamentary no-confidence vote over the proposed talks.
Political commentators said Labor and Likud could still end up in another partnership.
Shamir remains prime minister until a new government takes power.