Israeli parliament rejects referendum for Gaza pullout

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 the withdrawal had latched onto the plebiscite as a last-ditch legislative effort to delay and ultimately scuttle the withdrawal, set for the summer. The defeat today left withdrawal opponents with few remaining options.