New Poll Shows Tight Race, Potential Kingmakers Emerge
A new poll released Tuesday evening indicates a stark political deadlock in Israel, with the two main blocs tied at 52 seats each. The survey, conducted by Midgam and published by Maariv, shows Benny Gantz's National Unity party leading with 24 mandates, while Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party trails with 20.
Crucially, the poll highlights the potential influence of smaller parties. Former minister Yoaz Hendel, running independently, is projected to win 4 mandates, positioning him as a potential "kingmaker" in coalition negotiations. Ze'ev Elkin, also running independently, is projected to receive 3 mandates.
Meanwhile, the ultra-Orthodox party led by Moshe Gafni and Aryeh Deri is shown to be significantly below the electoral threshold, potentially failing to secure any seats. This development could reshape the ultra-Orthodox political landscape.
Defense Minister Gabi Ashkenazi's party is projected to win 5 seats. The poll also shows the Religious Zionism party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, securing 7 mandates, and the Joint List of Arab parties gaining 6 seats. The survey was conducted among 1,000 respondents with a margin of error of 3.1%.
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