Details about Benny Gantz’s Israel Resilience Party were leaked to local media after it was registered, Reuters reported. The party seeks to preserve Israel as “a Jewish and democratic country”, however, it is yet to announce details about its priorities in national security and the economy.
READ MORE: Netanyahu’s Gift to Settler Movement After Snap Election Called: 2,000 New Homes
The polls, published Monday after Netanyahu’s announcement of early elections which are to be held on April 9, showed that his Likud party would take around 30 of parliament’s 120 seats and was on course to form a conservative coalition government similar to the current cabinet. However, the same polls, cited by Reuters, gave second place to a then-hypothetical Gantz party, predicting it to take 15 seats in total.
"It's too early to tell, but he definitely strengthens the centre-left camp," said Mina Tzemach, a leading Israeli pollster, cited by the Miami Herald. “He projects security and integrity. And the fact that he looks good doesn't hurt either.”
Netanyahu is running for a fifth term while being investigated for three corruption allegations, for which the police have recommended an indictment. The Israeli Prime minister has denied any wrongdoing and Israel’s attorney-general has yet to decide whether to charge Netanyahu.