Gantz, Bennett, Lieberman Vie for Opposition Leadership in Israeli Election

A new poll reveals a competitive race among opposition leaders Gadi Gantz, Naftali Bennett, and Avigdor Lieberman to lead the bloc and potentially replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While their initial shared goal was to unseat the current government, the approaching election date has intensified their individual ambitions for the premiership.

The survey indicates that Gantz is currently perceived as the de facto leader of the opposition bloc, with 59% of supporters believing he leads, compared to 19% for Bennett and 11% for Lieberman. When asked about suitability for the prime minister role, Gantz garners 53% support, followed by Bennett with 31%, and Lieberman with 13%.

However, the internal competition is raising concerns among opposition voters. A majority of 52% believe the three-way race is harming the bloc's chances of winning the election, while 38% disagree. The primary criterion for choosing a candidate, according to 65% of respondents, should be the number of mandates a party secures, rather than political experience, which was favored by only 25%.

Regarding the timing of announcing a candidate to replace Netanyahu, opinions are divided: 37% want an immediate announcement, 34% prefer to wait closer to the election, and 17% are not interested in knowing at this stage.

Interestingly, among Netanyahu's supporters, Gantz leads with 25% preference, followed by Bennett (13%) and Lieberman (10%). However, a significant 52% of Netanyahu's voters remain undecided about whom they would prefer from the opposition leadership.

The key challenge for Gantz, Bennett, and Lieberman remains their ability to unite and attract new voters beyond their existing base, ultimately returning to a cohesive group effort against Netanyahu to achieve their initial objective of changing the government. The poll was conducted by Midgam Institute in cooperation with IPanel.