New Poll Shows Israeli Political Blocs Tied Ahead of Party List Deadlines

A new i24NEWS poll, conducted by Direct Polls and released on Tuesday, indicates a tie between Israel's political blocs for the first time since mid-May, with less than a week remaining before party lists must be finalized for upcoming elections. The survey shows the Likud party gaining one seat to 27, while the opposition bloc collectively holds 60 seats, matching the potential coalition's 60 seats. The poll also reveals shifts among smaller parties, with Religious Zionism strengthening to six seats after merging with figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin, and Ofer Winter's new "Am Israel" party securing five seats. Other parties like Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas remain stable with seven seats each, while the Joint List gains one seat to seven. The survey also explored a hypothetical scenario where Smotrich and Feiglin unite with Winter's party under the banner "Union of Right-Wing Parties," potentially boosting their combined strength. In this scenario, Likud would lose a seat, and Otzma Yehudit would gain one, but the overall bloc balance would remain unchanged. The poll, which surveyed 522 adults on September 2, 2026, has a margin of error of 4.2%.