A recent television poll indicates a significant development in Israeli politics, showing both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition parties tied with 53 seats each in the Knesset. Meanwhile, Arab parties are expected to secure 14 seats, leaving both major blocs short of the 61 seats necessary to form a majority government.
This poll result reflects a notable shift from earlier projections that placed the opposition ahead with 57 seats against Netanyahu’s 48. The change is primarily due to the emergence of two right-wing parties in the projected Knesset lineup: Ofer Winter’s People of Israel with four seats and the combined Religious Zionism-Zehut alliance securing six seats.
The Likud party, led by Netanyahu, has managed to close in on the opposition’s leading party, Yashar, which is headed by Gadi Eisenkot. Yashar is forecasted to win 22 seats, while Likud is close behind with 21 seats. At the same time, the Joint List, largely representing Arab interests, has bolstered its position with an increase to nine seats.
In another development, the B’Yachad alliance, led by political figures Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, has seen a decline, slipping to 12 seats. Additionally, several parties such as Unity, Blue and White, and Zionist Home-The Reservists are predicted to fall short of the electoral threshold required for Knesset entry.
The poll, which surveyed 940 individuals, comes with a margin of error of 3.4%, providing a snapshot of the shifting political landscape as parties vie for influence in the Israeli parliament.