The ruling body of Israel's Labour Party voted today to leave Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ruling coalition, paving the way for an early national election.
Labour's Central Committee approved the motion of the party's newly elected leader, Amir Peretz, in a show of hands.
"The motion has passed by an absolute majority," said Eitan Cabel, party secretary general.
Peretz, a dovish labour union leader, was chosen in a Nov. 9 poll on a platform of rolling back spending cuts, withdrawing from West Bank settlements and resuming peace talks with the Palestinians.
