Two especially sensitive components in Mr Netanyahu's political calculations are Avigdor Lieberman, the foreign minister and leader of the Yisrael Beitenu party, and Benny Begin, aministerwithoutportfolio.
However, Ken Clarke, a veteran pro-European, who attends the cabinet as aministerwithoutportfolio, told the Financial Times that any referendum would be a "gamble" that could lead to the UK leaving the union.