The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has voted to approve the national budget, clearing the last parliamentary obstacle to the withdrawal of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip.
The Knesset voted by 58 to 36 to back the $61 million budget.
If the budget had not been approved by Thursday it would have forced a snap election that would have taken place in late June, about a month before the withdrawal is due to begin.
Under the plan by the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, 8,500 settlers will be withdrawn from 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank.
The plan won another crucial victory yesterday when the parliament voted against holding a referendum on the issue.
