Sharon tells party rebels he's not afraid of early elections

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sent a stern warning to rebels in his Likud Party today, saying he would not hesitate to call early elections if they prevented him from bringing the moderate Labour Party into the government.

Sharon, who has lost his majority in parliament, needs Labour to go ahead with a planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements in 2005. Likud rebels, who oppose a withdrawal, have balked at bringing in Labour.