Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party voted this evening in favour bringing the opposition Labour Party into government, averting an election and boosting his Gaza pullout plan.
Mr Sharon had won by about 60 percent to 40 percent, according to the results from the ballot in Tel Aviv.
Western countries back the Gaza plan as a step toward a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians, especially given new hope of peace talks following the death last month of Palestinian president Mr Yasser Arafat.
Mr Sharon hoped the non-binding vote would free him of constraints by revoking a ban by Likud's Central Committee in August against bringing the more moderate Labour into his coalition.
Mr Sharon's coalition has been whittled down to a minority government with the departure of ultranationalist parties over opposition to his Gaza plan. He ousted the secularist Shinui party last week after it voted against the 2005 budget.
That triggered a crisis he hoped to resolve be setting up a stable coalition with Labour. Mr Sharon now needs a majority to pass the budget by March to avoid automatic elections.