Israel set for May poll

ISRAELI COALITION and opposition MPs have tentatively agreed that a general election will take place on 17 May next year, an opposition Labour Party MP said yesterday.

"It's a compromise between April 27 proposed by us, and mid-June, which [the] Likud [party] proposed ... we compromised on May 17," said Elli Goldschmidt, Labour Party whip in parliament. The date must be approved by parliament, which is due to convene today. (Reuters)