Apple has so far failed to remove an application promoting attacks on Israel despite an appeal by an Israeli government minister to Steve Jobs.

The "ThirdIntifada" application is available for download in the Apple Store.

The free software encourages users to organise violent uprisings against Israel, such as the recent attempts by protesters in Syria and Lebanon to breach the border.

Yuli Edelstein, Israel's Information Minister, said that a study of the programme revealed that it was "anti-Israel and anti-Zionist". He said that as "a pioneering and progressive company" Apple should be conscious of "this type of application's ability to unite many toward an objective that could be disastrous".

In a letter to Steve Jobs he said: "I am convinced that you are aware of this type of application's ability to unite many toward an objective that could be disastrous.

"One of the aims of the application is to enable owners of your device to be informed of protest activities, some violent, planned against Israel," said Mr Edelstein.

"I therefore turn to you with the request to instruct the immediate removal of the application in question."

Mr Edelstein's complaint was backed by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, a human rights organisation.