There is renewed talk in Israel of the possibility of a general election early next year.
The rumors come ahead of a vote on the state budget scheduled for Wednesday night.
The country’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and senior government officials are meeting the representatives of various political parties in a bid to garner support for the 2005 spending package.
The parties are demanding millions of dollars worth of changes to the budget in return for their backing.
The second largest party in Sharon’s minority coalition, Shinui, is threatening to walk out of the government if Sharon gives in to demands from religious Jewish parties.
Sharon’s office has made it clear that would lead to Shinui being thrown out of the government.
Sharon hopes the main opposition Labor Party will replace Shinui. While most Labor politicians support the idea, several say the time has come to hold fresh national elections.
Sharon is relying on the backing of the opposition in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. Two dovish Jewish parties say they will provide him with what they call a safety net, as long as he remains committed to his plan to pull Israeli citizens and soldiers out of the Gaza Strip.