While a decision by the six-strong NRP faction to pull out of Sharon's 68-seat coalition would still leave the prime minister with a slim majority in the 120-seat parliament, Israeli governments have fallen before over relatively marginal matters, not war and peace.
Later, speaking at a meeting of his Likud party, Sharon attacked the opposition parties, accusing them of trying to "topple the government by illegitimate means," an apparent reference to a series of public sector strikes, protesting austerity measures.
Sharon also accused opposition members of "coordinating their actions with the Palestinians behind the government's back."
Qureia has said he hopes to begin truce talks with Israel quickly, but that -- like his predecessor, Mahmoud Abbas -- he will use only persuasion, not force, to get Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other armed groups to halt attacks in Israel.
The violent Islamic groups are enjoying a surge of support, while the Palestinian Authority, headed by Arafat and Qureia, has been unable to persuade Israel to relax roadblocks, curfews and closures that have decimated the Palestinian economy, costing it popular support.
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