Tel Aviv - When she won the leadership of Israel's ruling Kadima party, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said she wanted to form a new government within 10 days.

One month on, the coalition negotiations are still in their early stages and about to enter into extra-time early next week.

"From this moment, because we have a state to run, we must act quickly ... We don't have much time to fool around with politics," Livni said after her election in September 17 primaries held to find a replacement for Ehud Olmert, who has resigned the premiership and party leadership to fight corruption allegations.

Tel Aviv - An ultra-Orthodox Israeli party has expressed reservations about entering a coalition headed by a woman, raising another hurdle for Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in her efforts to form a new government.

Israel's Ma'ariv daily Thursday quoted a senior spiritual leader of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, Rabbi Joseph Shalom Elyashiv, as saying in private talks this week that "it is not simple to sit in a government when the prime minister is a woman."

Tel Aviv - An ultra-Orthodox Israeli party has expressed reservations about entering a coalition headed by a woman, creating another hurdle for Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in her efforts to form a new government.

Israel's Ma'ariv daily Thursday quoted a senior spiritual leader of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, Rabbi Joseph Shalom Elyashiv, as saying in private talks this week that "it is not simple to sit in a government when the prime minister is a woman."

Tel Aviv - Israel slapped a military closure on the West Bank Monday to prevent potential suicide bombers from reaching Israeli cities during the seven-day Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Military checkpoints into Israel and on key West Bank roads leading to settlements will be closed at least until Tuesday next week, an Israeli military statement said.

Palestinians will be allowed to cross into Israel only in urgent humanitarian or medical cases, it added.

Tel Aviv - Israel will seal off the West Bank for Palestinian movement early Monday ahead of the first day of the Jewish Sukkot holiday.

The closure will be in effect until midnight October 21, according to a security assessment, an Israeli military spokeswoman said.

Sukkot, also known as the Holiday of Tabernacles, lasts seven days.

Tel Aviv - Three people were injured in a third night of Arab-Jewish rioting in the northern Israeli town of Acre, local media reported Saturday.

Nine people were arrested over night in disturbances that began after Jewish youths threw stones at Arab inhabitants of the city, which prompted stone throwing by Arab youths.

The worst Arab-Jewish clashes in years broke out around midnight Wednesday on the eve of the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday when an Arab resident who drove his car through a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood, playing loud music in an alleged provocation.