Health workers strike in Israel

Health service workers in Israel are holding a one-day strike to protest at plans to cutback levels of cover in state health insurance.

Public hospitals were hit as doctors and nurses stayed away.

The strike coincides with a parliamentary debate on the government's austerity budget, which includes changing the health insurance system so that patients pay a greater share of health costs.

Several members of Mr Netanyahu's governing coalition have spoken strongly against the health insurance changes, including the Health Minister, Yehoshua Matza.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service