05 June 2004	Saturday	16 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

TEL AVIV, June 4: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday sacked two ministers of the far-right National Union opposed to his Gaza pullout plan, his office said.

Mr Sharon informed Transport Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Tourism Minister Benny Elon of their dismissal by letter after they ignored a summons to his office.

The succinct, one-line letters tell their recipients that Ariel Sharon has dismissed them "by virtue of his powers". The sackings, which come into effect within two days, should allow Mr Sharon to secure approval for his Gaza pullout plan at his cabinet's next meeting on Sunday.

However, a slight postponement of the vote is possible as it was not immediately clear whether the 48-hour period includes the weekly Jewish Sabbath holiday, from sundown Friday through sundown Saturday

And one of the sacked ministers, Benny Elon, told public radio he had not received the letter at mid-day Friday and would do his utmost to be unreachable until Sunday's decisive cabinet meeting.

Mr Sharon's sacking of the two ministers could unleash a major political crisis. With Mr Lieberman and Mr Elon's National Union party leaving the coalition, the prime minister's parliamentary majority will slump to 61 seats out of 120.

The hardline National Religious Party (NRP) - mouthpiece of the Jewish settler movement - has also threatened to leave the coalition. -AFP