By Rob Broomby BBC Berlin correspondent

A controversial German liberal politician, Juergen Moellemann, is once again at the centre of a controversy over allegations of anti-Semitism.

The vice-chairman of the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) has accused the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, of war-mongering and breaking the Oslo peace plan.

Moellemann: A talented self-publicist and a political risk-taker

He has also launched a poster campaign criticising the vice-president of the German-Jewish community, Michael Friedman.

The FDP could emerge as a coalition partner for the centre-right parties if their candidate, Edmund Stoiber, wins the election.

Mr Moellemann is a talented self-publicist, but he is also a political risk-taker.

He launched the campaign to propel the FDP back into government in a Liberal-Christian Democrat coalition, setting an optimistic 18% target for the coming elections.

But Mr Stoiber has now hinted Mr Moellemann would not be welcome in a coalition cabinet led by him.

Kingmaker

Mr Moellemann has been repeatedly accused of having populist tendencies, but in criticising the Israeli leader in an election campaign he has reignited allegations that he is trying to appeal to far-right voters.

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Criticisms of Israel are often interpreted as anti-Semitic in Germany - a country which see itself as a staunch defender of the Israeli state.

The FDP leader, Guido Westerwelle, has distanced himself from Mr Moellemann's actions, while the former FDP Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, said his position was "unwise".

But in returning to a divisive topic just days before the election, he has embarrassed his party which still hopes to emerge as the kingmaker after the voting on Sunday.