Israeli parliament swears in new government

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new coalition government has been sworn in after winning parliamentary approval, bringing Israel a crucial step closer to implementing a withdrawal from the occupied Gaza Strip.

Knesset lawmakers voted 58 to 56 on Monday in favour of the alliance between Sharon's Likud party, opposition Labour and a small but influential religious faction United Torah Judaism, according to a final tally. The first count found 55 lawmakers voting against.

The new "national unity" government, which gives Sharon a parliamentary majority he lost last year in a spat with ultranationalist coalition partners, was sworn in after the vote.

- REUTERS