Arkady Gaidamak addressed potential party colleagues and voters Thursday, mostly Russian-speaking pensioners, Ethiopian youth and provincial residents of Israel, and said with confidence that his new party, Social Justice, would win parliamentary elections, officially expected in 2010.
"I am sure that all sensible citizens of Israel will support our political party, and we will score a landslide victory and have the opportunity to change the situation in practice," the billionaire said.
He added, however, that he had no ambition to secure any high posts in the government and was ready to support Benjamin Netanyahu, the opposition leader and a strong critic of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, for the post of prime minister.
Netanyahu has called for a new government and early parliamentary elections, which experts said might be held next spring.
