Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's authority is facing threat from his own Likud party after he lost a key Knesset (parliament) vote on Monday night.

Sharon at first proposed to appoint Ehud Olmert as finance minister, Roni Bar-on as industry, trade and employment minister, and Ze'ev Boim as immigrant absorption minister. All of the three are Sharon's allies in his ruling Likud party.

But the package appointment, opposed by anti-disengagement Likud lawmakers, dubbed as "Likud rebels", was rejected by the Knesset by a 60 to 54 margin, during which eight Likud "rebels" joined the opposition to defeat Sharon's attempt.

Sharon was then forced to go to second vote to win approval of Olmert, together with Matan Vilnai, a Labor Party member who was nominated as science and technology minister, which passed by a comfortable margin of 71 to 41.

The "Likud rebels", formed inside the party in an attempt to derail the disengagement plan, opposed the Bar-On and Boim appointments because they were viewed essentially as supporters of Sharon's disengagement plan which had been implemented in August- Sptember.

Observers said Sharon's defeat is likely to deepen the crisis in his right-wing Likud party precipitated by simmering anger over Sharon's historic pullout of all Jewish settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip following a 38-year occupation.

The bickering and backbiting has laid bare deep ideological rifts in the heart of Likud, which Sharon loyalists say could jeopardize future electoral success and threatens to split the faction.

Sharon slammed the Likud "rebels" for what he termed "personal motives" in voting down the appointments, local newspaper Ha'aretz said in its online edition.

"I think we all understand what happened here today," Sharon was quoted as saying, adding that "it's a shame that factionalism and personal motives prevented the appointment of two worthy individuals to be in the important ministries."

After losing the vote on appointments, Sharon's authority is facing a threat from his own party. Some analysts believe that the "Likud rebels" now hold an effective veto over Sharon's parliamentary moves.

Ehod Yatom, Knesset member and one of "Likud rebels", told Israel Radio on Tuesday that he and some other rebels intend to oppose the 2006 state budget in the upcoming vote if Sharon fails to keep his own words on settlements expansion.

Sharon had said that he sacrificed the Gaza Strip in return for expanding the settlements in the West Bank, especially the E1 area between Jerusalem and the biggest settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim.

"We want to see this budget has the facet of the prime minister 's broad vision, when he decided to sacrifice the Gaza Strip and to build in the West Bank," said Yatom.

According to Israeli law, if three readings of the 2006 state budget fails to pass in the Knesset vote, the current government will collapse.

Analysts believe that Sharon would either move soon to dissolve the Knesset and lead the Likud into early elections, or work to form a new party with himself at the helm.

Since the result of Monday's vote indicated that the current government is incapable to function, some opposition party members believe early elections are good for the sake of the country.

Opposition leader Yosef Lapid has called in the Knesset for early elections, saying "Mr. Prime minister, take advantage of this opportunity, because your government is unworthy to continue functioning."

One of Sharon's top associates also admitted that the cease- fire within Likud is almost impossible.
 
Public polls predict Sharon will emerge victorious if he founds a new party, but apparently, he wants to wait to be sure that any political move will not harm the state, and he can defeat the " Likud rebels".

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2005)