Israeli Knesset (parliamnet) overwhelmingly approved on Monday night the appointment of Ehud Olmert as permanent finance minister and Matan Vilnai as science minister.

The approval came less than two hours after rejecting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's attempt to name Olmert together with Roni Bar-On as industry, trade and employment minister and Ze'ev Boim as immigrant absorption minister.

In a stinging defeat, Sharon was forced to drop the nominations of two allies, Ronny Bar-On and Zeev Boim, and submit Olmert's appointment individually in order to win Olmert's confirmation.

"Rebels" in the ruling Likud party had rejected Sharon's earlier nomination because they are still furious with the prime minister over the September withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The Bar-On and Boim appointments were political payoff for their support for the pullout, they said.

Earlier on Monday night, the Israeli Knesset (parliament) rejected by a 60-54 margin Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposed appointments to the three ministerial posts, during which eight Likud "rebels" joined the opposition to defeat Sharon's attempt.

Source: Xinhua