Middle East

Sharon's party approves coalition

JERUSALEM - Israel's plan to pull out of Gaza next year passed a crucial test Thursday when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, his government crippled by opposition to the withdrawal, easily won party approval to invite the dovish Labor Party into his coalition.

Now the way is clear for removing 21 Israeli settlements from Gaza and four from the West Bank next summer, despite harsh criticism from Sharon's own party.

Defeat in the party vote could have spelled delay or even death for the Gaza withdrawal plan and an end to hopes for restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations in its wake.

Expanding the Israeli government, coupled with Jan. 9 elections to pick a new Palestinian leader to replace Yasser Arafat, could inject new hope into efforts to restart the long-stalled peace talks.

Cabinet minister Israel Katz said the final vote count among the 3,000-member Likud Party Central Committee was 62 percent in favor and 38 percent opposed.

The win clears the way to adding Labor, a partner solidly favoring the Gaza pullout and resuming peace negotiations, giving Sharon a majority government for the first time since June.

There is opposition among Labor activists to joining their archrival Sharon after their first joint government broke up in 2002. However, party leader Shimon Peres favors entering the government, and approval is expected.

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