21.  Otherwise, Sharon would turn to Orthodox Jewish parties and a far-right bloc to form a narrow coalition, he said.

22.  Orthodox parties are also troubled by a Supreme Court case on whether Reform and Conservative representatives can sit on religious councils.

23.  A secular political party is providing a formidable challenge to the powerful Orthodox Jewish religious parties in upcoming parliamentary elections.

24.  After that, Sharon would move to set up a coalition with right-wing and Orthodox Jewish parties, said the negotiator, Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert.

25.  After two Orthodox Jewish parties in his coalition failed to vote for the plan, he fired their representatives in the government.

26.  Barak has said he wants to form a broad coalition government, which makes likely an inclusion of Orthodox parties.

27.  He faces another non-confidence vote in the Israeli parliament mounted by the Shas orthodox religious party, which quit his coalition before the Camp David summit.

28.  However, speaking in parliament, Sharon denied that he had reached a deal to keep the Orthodox Jewish parties out of the government.

29.  In a counter move, Orthodox religious parties have prepared legislation that would counteract any court rulings.

30.  It appears likely that the Orthodox parties will now resume their fight to pass the conversion bill.