Israel's Labor party votes to quit Sharon's government

Israel's Labor party voted to quit the government led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday.

The party's central committee approved the motion presented by the newly-elected leader Amir Peretz with a majority in Tel Aviv.

Israel Radio said Labor's ministers are likely to tender their resignation letters on Monday which they have written.

Labor's departure will cost Sharon a majority in parliament and make early elections inevitable.

Peretz and Sharon have agreed to advance the parliamentary elections from originally scheduled November 2006 to as early as the end of February.

A final decision on the date of the elections is expected next week.

The leftist Labor joined the Likud-led coalition government to give Sharon a boost for his disengagement plan. Israel completed its withdrawal of soldiers and some 8,500 settlers from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip in mid-September, ending 38 years of occupation.

Peretz was elected Labor's party leader on Nov. 9, promising to withdraw from Sharon's government and resuming peace talks with the Palestinians.

Speculations were awash recently that Sharon may quit the rightist Likud Party to form a new party to capitalize on his public popularity.

Meanwhile, Sharon has wooed Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres, the ousted Labor party leader, for future cooperation at Sunday's cabinet meeting.

Source: Xinhua