JERUSALEM, March 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Knesset (Parliament) Finance Committee on Sunday postponed voting on the 2005 state budget which could decide the fate of the Gaza pullout plan, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

    "There is no vote because there is no majority," said a spokesman for Finance Committee Chairman Yaakov Litzman, noting no new date for the vote has been set yet.

    If the finance committee eventually approves the budget, the Knesset will start debate on the bill three days later.   The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will have to step down and call general elections if the 264.5 billion new Israeli shekels (61.5 billion US dollars) budget fails to  receive final Knesset approval by the end of March.

    The failure to pass the state budget will also mean Sharon sponsored disengagement plan be shelved. 

    Under the plan, Israel will start to pull out settlers and troops from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four out of 120 in the West Bank as of July 20.

    Sharon has been courting opposition parties for support on the budget since rebels in his own ruling Likud party vowed to vote against the budget in protest over the plan.  Enditem