A majority of Israelis think Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, should resign, according to a poll in the country's leading newspaper.

The Yedioth Aronoth said on Friday that 63% of the respondents favored Olmert stepping down.

The paper described the poll as a political "earthquake".

Olmert was not the only politician to fare badly, with 74% of those surveyed saying the defense minister, Amir Peretz, should resign and 54% wanting the head of the military, Dan Halutz, to go.

A career politician with little military experience, Olmert has faced criticism for the perceived lack of success of Israel's campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Opposition boost

Friday's poll also indicated that if an election were held tomorrow the country's opposition, led by the Likud party that was heavily defeated in the general election in March, would win.

Any vote held now would see Likud, led by Benyamin Netanyahu, increasing its share of the 120-seat Knesset to 20 seats and the far right Russian-oriented Yisrael Beitenu going from 11 to 17 MPs.

However, only 27% of Israelis want snap elections, with 50% saying they would prefer right-wing opposition parties brought into the current government.

Israelis have also retained their confidence in their army with the institution enjoying support levels of 82%.

The survey, carried out by an independent institute, was based on a representative sample of 500 people and carried a 4.5% margin of error.

Photo Caption

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert