Israeli MP's back Sharon's cabinet

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/4161295.stm

Phew, this was something of a hurdle to be overcome, looks like Sharon has made it. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Israeli MPs back Sharon cabinet Israel's parliament has backed a new coalition government, giving Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a firm basis to implement his Gaza pullout plan. After several hours of debate, the Knesset approved Mr Sharon's cabinet by 58 to 56 with six abstentions. The new cabinet brings together Likud, Labour and a small orthodox party. The vote gives Mr Sharon a cabinet majority for the disengagement plan, which also involves withdrawing from small areas of the West Bank. Meanwhile, Shimon Peres, the Labour leader due to become deputy prime minister, has welcomed the victory of Mahmoud Abbas in the Palestinian presidential poll. He said Mr Abbas was wise and moderate and would give peace a chance. Broad coalition Before the debate in the Knesset, Mr Sharon made a formal announcement giving the names of the new ministers. The vote then took the form of a name-by-name ballot, rather than through electronic voting - in line with the prime minister's request. Israeli analysts had predicted that Mr Sharon would narrowly win the vote, despite the opposition from 13 members of his Likud party. As the stormy parliamentary session got under way, thousands of right-wing activists gathered in front of the Knesset to protest against Mr Sharon's pullout plan. Mr Sharon has been engaged in talks with the ultra-Orthodox Shas party over its participation in the coalition which is so far made up of Likud, Labour and United Torah Judaism, an orthodox religious party. The coalition Mr Sharon has assembled would give him a parliamentary majority of 65 in the 120-member parliament. Mr Sharon's plan entails evacuating 8,000 settlers from Gaza and four West Bank enclaves and the troops who protect them while keeping control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace. Israeli forces have occupied the Gaza Strip and West Bank - home to nearly four million Palestinians - since 1967. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...st/4161295.stm Published: 2005/01/10 18:44:22 GMT © BBC MMV