Barak allots vacated Israeli ministerial posts

The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak, has given four of his ministers some of the portfolios left vacant after three parties withdrew from his coalition government last month.

The communications minister, Binyamin Ben-Elizer, received the housing and construction portfolio, and the finance minister, Avraham Shohat, the infrastructure portfolio, while Mr Barak gave the minister for Jerusalem, Haim Ramon, the interior ministry and the justice minister, Yossi Beilin, the religious affairs portfolio. Mr Barak is still to announce who will fill seven other ministries left vacant, including health and labour. The parties which quit the coalition had been angered by Mr barak's peace policies and the concessions they believed he would make to the Palestinians at the recent Camp David summit.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service