parties whose constituencies are at opposite ends of the religious-secular divide. And they include far-right politicians who will seek to bring out the warrior in Mr. Sharon, and settlers' representatives who will urge him to defend forcefully and expand the settlement enterprise that he helped construct.

Hence, Mr. Sharon's election-night appeal to the Labor Party to join him in a unity government of the two major national parties.

With both national parties advocating peace with security, some argue that the distinctions between them have blurred and that they should forge a centrist government. Indeed, dovish Likudniks and hawkish Laborites are ideologically indistinguishable.

But others think that the center has collapsed during the turmoil of the last half year, after the failed Camp David peace talks and the subsequent violence, and thatleaves ministerial positions empty in the hope that Labor could join in the future.

Some forces on the right are eager for Mr. Sharon to take over and show the Palestinians what he is made of. ''We are facing a real war,'' said Shlomo Filber, secretary general of the Settlers' Council. ''A Likud official who is slated to be a minister told me this morning: 'Until now, this was child's play. Now, it's the real story.' ''

Indeed, some settlers moved quickly this morning to celebrate Mr. Sharon's victory by sinking new roots in the West Bank, thus entangling his political decisions with his diplomatic ones. Palestinian officials say that settlers moved five trailers onto land that is part of the Halhul village in the Hebron area.

''The settlers are happy