ACTING Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima Party is seeking swift coalition negotiations to carry out its plan to pull out of much of the West Bank and draw Israel's borders by 2010.

After declaring victory in Israeli elections, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima Party said today it would quickly form a broad ruling coalition that will pull out of much of the West Bank and draw Israel’s borders by 2010.

Israel’s parliament today swept aside another potential obstacle to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, overwhelmingly rejecting a proposal for holding a national referendum on the pullout.

Opponents of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan for a pullout from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank made last-ditch efforts today to rally support for a vote that could halt the withdrawal.

THE Israeli parliament gave final approval last night to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon invited the Labour Party into his governing coalition today, a day after winning approval from the ruling Likud Party to bring its traditional rival back into the government, a Labour spokesman said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made a final break with his former allies in the Jewish settler movement, appealing to parliament to approve a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank in a historic vote tonight.

Israelis voted in municipal elections today, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Likud party was expected to lose key mayoral positions.

DR FR BAIGEL (Irish Examiner letters, June 23) must realise that outrages perpetrated against a people result in their radicalisation.