Israeli foreign minister puts off resignation decision

VIDEO CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief Mike Hanna reports on Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy's political past Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy on Sunday put off a decision on whether to resign, saying he hoped to persuade Prime Minister Ehud Barak to form a broad unity government.

"I am making all possible efforts to create a unity government and if by Wednesday I do not succeed, I will resign," Levy told Israel Radio.

The delay appeared to signal he would not help to topple Barak in a no-confidence vote on Monday. Should he vote against Barak, Levy could create the momentum to bring the government down over Israeli-Palestinian peace moves.

Last week Levy complained that Barak had made concessions to the Palestinians while getting little in return at the U.S.-sponsored Camp David peace summit, which ended without agreement after 15 days.

Barak has not ruled out a unity government, which could ensure he stays in office while helping him to cope with a possible outbreak of Palestinian violence over the failed summit. But bringing rightist and religious parties into a unity government could make it harder for him to make a peace deal.

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