Sharon sacks rebel ministers

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon's government was in crisis today after he fired four cabinet ministers and five deputy ministers who helped topple an emergency economic package.

The dismissals go into effect tomorrow and shrink the broad-based coalition he has tried to maintain from 82 members in the 120-seat Knesset to 60.

The opposition needs one more vote to oust him and order new elections. Mr Sharon's economic proposals - which were meant to help cover the expenses of the recent military offensive in the West Bank - would have cut welfare spending and increased taxes, but were rejected in the vote.

The sacked ministers and deputy ministers belong to the ultra- Orthodox Shas and Yahadut Hatorah (United Torah Judaism) parties.

The dismissal of the ministers leaves Mr Sharon dependent on the Left-of-centre Labour party to maintain his government. Meanwhile, a Spanish transport plane is expected to arrive in Cyprus tomorrow to carry Palestinian men described by Israel as its "most wanted men" to a variety of new homes across Europe.

Known as the Bethlehem 13, they are the militant Palestinians who were besieged by Israeli troops in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

In his first interview since being flown into exile, their leader Abdulah Daoud reportedly vowed the war would go on to achieve a free and separate Palestinian state, but he reassured concerned European-states that they were not about to take their struggle abroad.

The deal ends 10 days of intense negotiations in the EU over how to distribute the Palestinians among the six member countries willing to take them in.

Ireland and Greece will take two Palestinians each, Spain and Italy will take three each, while Belgium and Portugal will each host one.

One Palestinian will remain in Cyprus until an EU nation is found to take him in, said EU envoy Miguel Moratinos.