[an error occurred while processing this directive]Some far right-wing parties and settlers' groups have vowed to bring down the government, seeing the deal to hand over more of the West Bank to Palestinian control as a betrayal.

Paul Adams fears this is the start of a potentially violent campaign

A motion of no-confidence is expected, but Mr Netanyahu is confident he can retain parliamentary backing.

In a BBC interview, opposition leader Ehud Barak said his Labour party will support Mr Netanyahu because they are interested in saving the peace deal - but not the prime minister.

"We will give him ad hoc support for the agreement and for every future step towards peace, but at the same time we will keep pushing ahead for early elections," said Mr Barak.

Labour Party leader Ehud Barak: "Yes to peace and no to the Netanyahu government"

"We say yes to peace and no to the Netanyahu government," he added.

With only a one-seat majority in the Knesset, the position of Mr Netanyahu's Likud Party is very vulnerable but Labour Party support would give him a clear majority.

Polls in PM's favour

Opinion polls published by Israel's largest circulation newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, show that almost three in four Israelis - support Mr Netanyahu in signing the accord.

Another 18% of those polled oppose the pact, while 8% had no opinion.

But the BBC's Jerusalem Correspondent, Paul Adams, says even members of Mr Netanyahu's own cabinet are known not to support the deal.

Foreign Minister, Ariel Sharon, who helped forge the agreement, said it endangered Israel's security and would not reveal how he would vote on it.

New pledge on settlements

Ahead of the debate, Mr Netanyahu pledged to continue to build settlements in the occupied territories.

Speaking on Israel's army radio, Mr Netanyahu said there was nothing in the land-for-peace deal he signed in Washington preventing Israel from building in East Jerusalem or the West Bank.

In particular, he said construction would continue on a hilltop in east Jerusalem Har Homa; it was building on this settlement which triggered the breakdown of the peace process in March 1997.

Palestinian protests

Peter Biles reports on Friday's peace deal

Meanwhile, around 200 Palestinians demonstrated in Gaza against the peace deal.

The protestors said the agreement for the gradual release of 750 Palestinian prisoners did not go far enough, and demanded the release of all prisioners.

One Israeli dead

In Hebron, the body of a Jewish settler has been found by the roadside on the Israeli-controlled side of the West Bank town.

Israel Radio said the man was a security guard at an electrical installation in Hebron and that the army was investigating whether he had been killed by Palestinian militants.

Other reports said the man had been shot in the neck and his body thrown from a moving car.