icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
31 Jan, 2019 12:06

Retired Israeli general Gantz’s new party surges in opinion polls after his maiden speech

A new party launched by retired Israeli general Benny Gantz's has surged in opinion polls since his maiden speech, positing him as the most significant political threat to incumbent premier Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel Resilience, could win between 21 and 24 seats in the 120-member parliament, according to opinion polls published by Israel’s three main television stations, compared to the 12-15 seats predicted prior to Tuesday’s official campaign launch. Netanyahu’s ruling right-wing Likud, which currently holds a quarter of the Knesset seats, was expected to win 30 or 31. Despite the leap in the number of seats, Gantz’s party is expected to win in the April 9 general election, Netanyahu still remains the best placed to form a governing coalition, AFP reports.