HIGLIGHTS: Spain, Italy, Greece, Ireland Portugal and Belgium Take 12 of the Exiles, The 13th Stays in Cyprus ||Sharon's Emergency Economic Package Passed By an Overwhelming Majority||Shas Remains Out of Coalition||STORY: Twelve Palestinian Resistance men left Cyprus on Wednesday for other European countries to start a life in exile under a deal which ended nearly two weeks of squabbling among fractious European Union states. (Read photo caption)

Three of the men flew out on a private Italian plane at 8:40 a.m. and nine others left on a Spanish transport aircraft 12 minutes later.

The Spanish plane made a stop at Athens International Airport at 11:50 a.m. where two of the men were to disembark to remain in Greece.

A total of 13 Palestinians were taken temporarily to Cyprus on May 10 under an agreement to end a standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity after a 39-day siege by Israeli forces.

Spain and Italy are taking three men each, Greece and Ireland two each and Portugal and Belgium one apiece. The 13th man will stay in Cyprus for the time being, but the island has made clear it wants him out as soon as possible.

SHARON PASSES TEST

Back in the Territories, an Israeli austerity plan that caused a crisis in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ruling coalition won initial parliamentary approval earlier on Wednesday.

The 17 members of the Shas Party whose opposition to the bill on Monday sparked a political crisis were absent from the vote.

Sharon ejected the party from his coalition on Monday in a move that goes into effect late on Wednesday after a 48-hour cooling off period. Israel Radio quoted Sharon aides as saying the dismissal would remain in effect after Shas did not vote.

Parliament voted 65 to 26 in favor of the emergency economic package aimed at reining in a budget deficit swollen by falling tax revenues and higher defense spending stemming from a 20-month-old Palestinian uprising for independence. Seven lawmakers abstained.

In a stinging defeat for Sharon on Monday, the Knesset (parliament) rejected the 13-billion-shekel (2.7-billion US dollars) package of spending cuts and tax rises. The legislation still needs to pass two more votes.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian militants leaving Cyprus May 22, 2002 make a sign for victory as they clutch the Palestinian flag while driven in a bus through Larnaca's airport. Twelve of 13 Palestinian militants left the island on Wednesday in the last leg of their journey into exile under an EU brokered deal which ended the seige of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on May 10. A 13th Palestinian was to remain in Cyprus until a country could be found to accept him. (Andreas Manolis/Reuters)