Poll Shows Netanyahu Bloc and Opposition Tied Ahead of Israeli Elections

A new poll conducted by Zman Yisrael, a sister publication of The Times of Israel, indicates a near-even split between the bloc supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition. Both factions are projected to secure 53 seats in the Knesset, falling short of the 61 needed for a majority. The survey, conducted between September 23-24 among 500 respondents with a 4.4% margin of error, suggests that Arab parties could collectively win 14 seats, with the Unified List taking eight and Ra'am securing six.

According to the poll, Gadi Eisenkot's "Yashar" party would emerge as the largest single party with 23 mandates, followed by Netanyahu's "Likud" with 21 seats. Other parties projected to gain seats include Naftali Bennett's "B'Yachad" with 12, and "Yisrael Beiteinu" and "Shas" each with 10 mandates.

The survey also revealed that 67% of opposition voters believe it is necessary to agree on a joint candidate for prime minister, while 22% oppose this idea and 11% are undecided. The pollsters cautioned that pre-election surveys are not an entirely reliable predictor of final election outcomes.