New Poll Shows Gadi Eisenkot Leading, Netanyahu's Likud Plummets

A new poll released by Channel 16 News indicates a significant political shift, with Gadi Eisenkot's "Yashar!" party surging to first place with 21 seats. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has fallen to an unprecedented low of 18 seats in the survey. Naftali Bennett's "Achdut" party is positioned third with 16 seats.

The poll results do not indicate a clear majority for either the coalition or opposition blocs. The coalition bloc is projected to win 52 seats, while the opposition bloc would secure 53 seats. Arab parties collectively garnered 11 seats, and the "Am Israel" party received four seats, potentially becoming a kingmaker.

Within the coalition, Otzma Yehudit and Shas each received nine seats, United Torah Judaism seven, Religious Zionism five, and Degel HaTorah four. In the anti-Netanyahu bloc, the Democrats secured nine seats and Yisrael Beiteinu seven. The Joint List won six seats, and Ra'am received five.

Adding to the political drama, the poll revealed that 81% of respondents stated that party campaign materials did not influence their voting decisions. Only 12% reported moderate influence, with a mere 3% experiencing significant or very significant impact. This suggests that despite substantial campaign spending, the majority of the public has already made up their minds or remains unmoved by party messages.

Furthermore, social media presence appears to be losing its effectiveness, with 66% of respondents not watching party videos online, compared to 34% who do. This is a concerning finding for campaign teams heavily invested in online content. When asked about the primary factors influencing their vote, 39% cited the party or its leader, 27% pointed to foreign affairs and security, and 15% chose the economy. Other factors were cited by a smaller percentage of respondents.

The combined data paints a complex picture: while Eisenkot has overtaken Netanyahu, neither bloc is close to the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. The election may ultimately be decided less by flashy campaigns and more by candidate identity and the prevailing security and economic realities.