JERUSALEM, Oct 11 (AFP) - Israel's parliament late Monday rejected a policy speech by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon by 53 votes for and 44 against, in a non-binding vote, public television reported.
Parliament speaker Reouven Rivlin announced the result, in live TV coverage of the session, with giving the number of abstentions.
Sharon moved earlier Monday to accelerate his plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip by announcing he would in two weeks submit his controversial project for a parliamentary debate and vote.