Poll Shows Opposition Bloc Short of Majority Ahead of Israeli Elections

A new public opinion poll released Wednesday evening indicates that the bloc of parties opposing Benjamin Netanyahu would fall short of a majority in the Knesset, even with the addition of the United Arab List. The poll, conducted by Channel 13, showed Netanyahu's Likud party securing 18 seats, while Benny Gantz's National Unity party led with 22 seats. The opposition bloc supporting Gantz garnered 52 seats, compared to 51 for Netanyahu's bloc.

Other parties' projected seat counts included Naftali Bennett's Yamina with 11 seats, and the Democratic Union also with 11 seats. The Joint List is projected to win 8 seats, as are Yisrael Beiteinu and United Torah Judaism. Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Shas are each expected to get 7 seats. The Religious Zionism list, including Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin, is projected to win 6 seats, while Ofer Cassif's Hadash-Ta'al is expected to receive 5 seats. The United Arab List is also projected to win 5 seats. The New Economic Party led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zehவுகளை is predicted to win 4 seats.

Analyzing the bloc totals, Netanyahu's camp received 51 seats, while the opposition parties collectively secured 52 seats. The two Arab lists combined for 13 seats, with Hendel and Zehவுகளை's party holding 4 seats outside the main blocs. Crucially, the poll suggests that the opposition bloc, despite its one-seat lead, would reach only 57 seats when combined with the United Arab List, falling short of the 61 seats required to form a government.