In a recent television survey, the political landscape in Israel appears evenly split, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporting bloc and opposition parties each predicted to secure 53 seats in the Knesset. Meanwhile, Arab parties are expected to obtain 14 seats, leaving both major blocs short of the 61-seat majority needed to form a government.
This poll indicates a significant change from previous projections, where the opposition was ahead with a 57-48 lead. The shift can be largely attributed to the emergence of two right-wing parties in the forecasted Knesset lineup: Ofer Winter’s People of Israel, expected to gain four seats, and the alliance between Religious Zionism and Zehut, projected to win six seats.
Netanyahu’s Likud party has managed to close the gap with the leading opposition party, Yashar, which is headed by Gadi Eisenkot. Current projections place Yashar at 22 seats and Likud at 21. Concurrently, the Arab-majority Joint List has seen an increase in support, reaching a total of nine seats.
On the other hand, the B’Yachad alliance, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, has experienced a decline, now predicted to secure 12 seats. Several other parties, including Unity, Blue and White, and Zionist Home-The Reservists, may not meet the electoral threshold required to gain representation in the Knesset according to this poll.
The survey, which involved 940 participants, comes with a margin of error of 3.4%, providing a snapshot of the current political sentiment as parties vie for influence in the upcoming Israeli elections.