A new scandal has hit Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's fragile governing coalition after a minister apologised publicly over a claim that he once tried to smear a cabinet rival.
A senior political source said Justice Minister Yosef Lapid of Shinui, the second biggest party in Mr Sharon's governing coalition, had asked Mr Sharon to dismiss Infrastructures Minister Yosef Paritsky, after the former apologised on television over accusations he was involved in an attempt to trick another Shinui member.
Mr Sharon agreed to fire Mr Paritsky at the next weekly cabinet session on Sunday, and he is likely to be replaced by another party member, the source said.
But an aide to Mr Sharon denied that the prime minister had agreed to dismiss Mr Paritsky, as "quite untrue."
Senior officials said the affair in Shinui was unlikely to lead to the breakup of the government.
The accusations against Mr Paritsky were a blow to Shinui, a party that campaigned on a platform to promote clean government, triggering immediate calls from party colleagues for him to tender his resignation or be fired.
Israeli television, and subsequently other Israeli media, accused him of conspiring with an investigator in 2002 to trick a party rival, Mr Avraham Poraz, into supporting a bill that would favour vehicle importers.
Mr Paritsky, interviewed on television, did not deny the allegations though he disputed some facts, but apologised to Mr Poraz, who is now Interior Minister.
"I was a political rookie . . . I fell in a trap," and spoke "in anger" against Mr Poraz - who was his rival in a party primary held before the 2003 national elections - Mr Paritsky said. "I don't think I did anything illegal," he added.
The scandal comes weeks after the state attorney-general closed an investigation into Mr Sharon over a case in which a businessman allegedly sought to set up a Greek island resort with the help of Mr Sharon's son, Mr Gilad Sharon.