Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Thursday evening won the backing of his Likud party to invite the main opposition Labor into a new coalition government, an Israeli TV channel said.

A total of 1,410 members of Likud's Central Committee okayed Sharon's proposal on allowing him to form a new government to implement his disengagement plan, while 856 members voted against.

Sharon warned earlier that he would call fresh elections if he was not given a green light to bring the Labor into government.

Sharon is expected to begin talks with Labor leader Shimon Peresas early as Friday.

Under the disengagement plan, Israel plans to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank next year.

Source: Xinhua