JERUSALEM, Nov. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Aides to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the Likud Party has split into two factions, one headed by Sharon and the other led by dissidents, local paper Ha'aretz reported on Tuesday.

    "Today, it has been proven that the Likud is, de facto, two factions," the aide said, speaking after a Knesset (parliament)vote on a package nomination of three cabinet ministers late on Monday, when Sharon was defeated by the opposition "rebels" of his own party.

    He hinted the possibility that Sharon will move for early elections, which was currently scheduled in November 2006.

    In a stinging but not unexpected parliamentary defeat, the anti-disengagement Likud lawmakers, dubbed the "rebel" faction, first voted with 60-54 to reject Sharon's proposed appointment of Ehud Olmert as finance minister, Roni Bar-On as industry, trade and employment minister and Ze'ev Boim as immigrant absorption minister.

    Sharon was then forced to go to a second vote to win the approval of Olmert and Matan Vilnai (Labor) as science and technology minister, which was passed by a comfortable 71-41 margin.

    Analysts said the Knesset vote on Monday showed that the rebels,who can count on eight votes in the 40-strong Likud faction and have at times commanded as many as 16, now hold an effective veto power over Sharon's parliamentary moves.

    There are speculations that Sharon would either move soon to dissolve the Knesset and lead the Likud into early elections, or work to found a new party with himself at the helm. Enditem