| In a make-or-break vote for Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon and his Gaza pullout plan, his Likud Party voted Thursday on whether to bring in the Labor Party to rescue his teetering coalition. A loss could force new elections and jeopardize the Gaza withdrawal - a centerpiece of efforts to restart peace talks with the Palestinians in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death. But a win would add a partner solidly in favor of the Gaza pullout and resumption of peace negotiations. Some in Labor oppose joining Sharon, but party leader Shimon Peres is strongly in favor. Results were expected late Thursday night. The 3,000-member Likud Central Committee already voted in August against inviting Labor to join the government. But after Sharon fired a key coalition partner on Dec. 1 for opposing his budget, his coalition is more tenuous than ever. He has warned that the choice is now Labor or elections. |