The Shinui, National Religious Party and National Union have agreed to back a call by new Labor chairman Amir Peretz for advancing the Israeli general elections to early March, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

The agreement was struck among Peretz, Chairman of the National Religious Party Zevulun Orlev and National Union lawmaker Yitzhak Levy earlier in the day, according to the report.

Under the deal, Shinui and National Union also agreed to back a Labor proposal to delay a parliamentary vote on dissolving the legislature, originally scheduled on Wednesday, to Monday. In return, Peretz agreed to coordinate with them the date for toppling the government led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Peretz sought the delay in order to allow Labor's central committee to meet and decide on how the party will vote on the bill designed to dissolve the Knesset (Parliament).

"For the good of Israel, the date of March 7 (for general elections) cannot be delayed," Peretz told reporters in a press conference after a Tuesday afternoon Labor meeting which endorsed Peretz's agreement with the Shinui, National Religious Party and National Union.

"National responsibility requires holding the elections as soon as possible. I support elections at the beginning of March, and I hope Sharon agrees," Peretz added.

Peretz also said he "does not intend to force Sharon into a corner," adding that the decision on whether to call early elections was nonetheless in the hands of the prime minister.

Sharon's coalition government with Labor will be on the verge of collapse if the dissolution bill is okayed by the Knesset next week.

The dissolution bill will have to be passed in three more readings in the Knesset, and then in the Knesset Law Committee, before coming into effect.

Peretz is to meet with Sharon on Thursday to press the prime minister to advance elections from the scheduled November, 2006.

On Monday, Labor's eight cabinet ministers signed resignation letters at the behest of Peretz who has vowed to pull Labor out of Sharon's government and push for early national elections.

Source: Xinhua