Benjamin Netanyahu is pulling away from his rivals in the race to become Israel's next prime minister, in a sign that the three-week war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has accelerated Israel's shift to the political right.

Polls show that Mr Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud party opposition, would win at least 28 seats in the next parliament. His closest rival in the February 10 election, the centrist Kadima party, is expected to secure 24 to 25 seats.