New Israeli party born amid talk of early election

A popular former minister in Israel has announced a comeback at the head of a new party amid speculation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is about to call early elections.

Moshe Kahlon, who resigned as communications minister in October 2012, three months before the last general election, held a founding meeting attended by 350 supporters at a seaside hotel on Thursday night, media reported today.

"There is not one person here who does not want reform of the diplomatic situation and our relations with the world," Kahlon, formerly of Netanyahu's Likud party, said.

"There is no one here who does not want social reform."

Neither the party's name, nor details of its likely candidates, was given.

Haaretz newspaper reported in August that Kahlon intended to present his team two months before the next general election, theoretically due by January 2016.