The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has challenged critics in the governing coalition either to stand with him or leave the administration.

His challenge follows the resignation of the foreign minister, David Levy on Sunday, and a threat by the Defence Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, to resign if the government fails to implement further redeployment of Israeli troops from the West Bank within the next three months.

Mr Mordechai said he could not remain in a government which did not protect national interests.

David Levy started the rot for Mr Netanyahu

His ultimatum follows the resignation on Sunday of another cabinet moderate, David Levy from the post of Foreign Minister.

23 members of the coalition government have also threatened to resign unless the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, makes concessions to the Palestinians.

But Mr Netanyahu who now has just 61 seats in the 120 seat parliament is also under pressure from hard-line coalition members not to make further concessions.

Benjamin Netanyahu is watching his coalition fall apart

Part of this commitment by Mr Netanyahu includes the continued construction of new housing at Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Mr Netanyahu's government has given the go ahead for some 600 new Jewish homes at two West Bank settlements -- about 500 at Efrat, near Bethlehem, and about 100 at El Qana, in the north west.

Correspondents say the decision represents a defiant new blow to American peace efforts.

The United States has been demanding a freeze on all settlement expansion to break the deadlock in the peace talks. Israel says this is a natural growth of the settlements.
 

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