Poll Shows Ex-IDF Chief Eisenkot Leading Netanyahu in Prime Minister Race

A new poll released by Channel 12 News on Monday indicates that former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot's new party, "Yashar", is currently leading the political landscape with 25 mandates. Eisenkot officially submitted his party's list to the Central Elections Committee earlier in the day.

Conversely, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has weakened, polling at 21 mandates. This decline is attributed to the entry of parties led by Bezalel Smotrich and Ofer Winter. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's "Bayit Chadash" party also saw a decline, securing 13 mandates.

Yair Golan's "HaDemokratim" party is in fourth place with 11 mandates. Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party is polling at 8 mandates. For the first time under Yaakov Asher, Yahadut HaTorah also holds 8 mandates. The Joint List, led by Yousef Jabareen, received 7 mandates, while Shas, led by Aryeh Deri, also garnered 7 mandates.

Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin's "Religious Zionism and Identity" party is polling at 6 mandates. Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, received 4 mandates, as did Ofir Winter's "Am Israel" party. The newly merged "Miluimnikim and HaKalkalit HaHadasha" party, led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha, failed to pass the electoral threshold with 2.7% of the vote.

Notably, Benny Gantz's National Unity party is polling at only one mandate. In terms of bloc strength, the opposition is projected to receive 68 mandates, with 57 from Zionist parties and 11 from Arab parties. The coalition is strengthened by two mandates, reaching 52, due to Smotrich and Winter passing the electoral threshold.

When asked about suitability for the role of prime minister, Eisenkot received 42% support compared to Netanyahu's 35%. 17% of respondents felt neither was suitable, and 6% were unsure.