Sharon loses majority as far-right ministers quit
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=529555
Two extreme right-wing ministers deprived Ariel Sharon of his guaranteed parliamentary majority yesterday when they resigned in the first political backlash against this week's cabinet acceptance of his plan to disengage from Gaza.

Effi Eitam, the National Religious Party leader and cabinet minister, who walked out of the coalition with Yitzhak Levy, an NRP deputy minister, called on his party to "unify and act against this government and against this terrible decision".

Both men made it clear they now regarded themselves as free to vote according to their consciences. This means that Mr Sharon is now technically presiding over a minority administration