The new Hamas government has prepared an emergency plan for its first three months of rule, and is to discuss it at its first Cabinet meeting today, the deputy Palestinian prime minister said.

A revised election count docked one parliamentary seat from Israel’s Labour Party, from 20 to 19, stripping acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of a centre-left Jewish majority for his planned West Bank pullout.

With 99.7% of polling stations accounted for, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima Party was winning 28 of 120 seats in parliament, the Election Commission reported early today.

Israel’s president announced today that he has agreed to a request by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to hold early elections, and that the vote would be held at the beginning of February.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last night survived three no-confidence votes, winning more time to try to restore the parliamentary majority he lost when the moderate Labour Party bolted his coalition last week.