Israeli cabinet held a special session Thursday morning chaired by acting premier Ehud Olmert.

The meeting was held as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was battling for his life in a Jerusalem hospital after suffered a massive brain haemorrhage overnight.

Olmert, deputy prime minister and finance minister, was made acting premier after Sharon has been in the hospital to undergo surgery from which medical experts have warned he may not recover.

Election to be held on schedule

Olmert said the general elections will be held as scheduled on March 28 despite of Sharon remaining in critical conditions.

"Israel's strength will allow it to face the situation," he said. "We will carry on running the country and pray for good news from hospital."

"This is a difficult situation which we are not accustomed to. Ariel is not only the prime minister and a leader, but a close friend to all of us," Olmert told the ministers.

Sharon, 77, was rushed to Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital on Wednesday night after he suffered a serious stroke.

The prime minister has been moved into the intensive care unit for at least 24 hours of deep sedation after undergoing surgeries that had stopped the massive cerebral bleeding.

Following the short meeting, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni told reporters that "the message the cabinet is sending is that the government is functioning."

"I will do everything in my power to help the interim prime minister lead the government and reach the right decisions, and I am sure the other ministers will do the same," Livni said.

Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit said after the meeting that the "government is continuing to work normally, with only a change in personnel."

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told Israel Radio that the defense establishment will continue functioning as usual in the face of deepening chaos in the Gaza Strip.

Prior to the emergency cabinet meeting, Likud party Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu decided to postpone the planned resignation of his party's ministers from government in light of Sharon's condition.

Aides to Netanyahu said the newly elected Likud chief would support Olmert's leadership and remain in government, thus contributing to the sense of political stability.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2006)