New Poll Shows Eisenkot Surging as Right-Wing Bloc Declines
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
A new poll shows Gadi Eisenkot's "Yesh!" party surging to 26 mandates, while the pro-Netanyahu bloc has dropped to 49 mandates. The "Amcha Israel" party failed to pass the electoral threshold. In a security statement, Eisenkot vowed to dismantle Hamas's rule in Gaza within 18 months and criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu's leadership. Meanwhile, Haredi leaders are urging their constituents to vote for Haredi parties, citing concerns over government policies.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Gadi Eisenkot's "Yesh!" party reached a new high of 26 mandates in a recent election poll.
- The bloc supporting Prime Minister Netanyahu fell to 49 mandates in the "Zman Israel" poll.
- Ofer Vinter's "Amcha Israel" party failed to pass the electoral threshold with 2.80% of the vote.
- Gadi Eisenkot pledged to end Hamas's rule in Gaza within 18 months if elected.
- Haredi leaders are urging voters to support Haredi parties in the upcoming elections.
- The "Reservists-Economic" party secured 4 mandates, crossing the electoral threshold.
A new poll released less than two weeks before the Knesset elections shows a tight race between political blocs. The "Yesh!" party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, has reached a new high of 26 mandates, an increase of two seats from the previous week. This gain comes largely at the expense of potential coalition partners, with Naftali Bennett's "Together" party dropping to 11 mandates and Yisrael Beiteinu falling to 9.
The bloc supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen to 49 mandates. A significant factor is the "Amcha Israel" party, led by Ofer Vinter, failing to pass the electoral threshold with only 2.80% of the vote. Within the Netanyahu bloc, the Likud party stands at 20 mandates, Shas at 8, United Torah Judaism at 8, Otzma Yehudit at 7, and Religious Zionism at 6.
Meanwhile, the "Reservists-Economic" party, headed by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha, has crossed the threshold, securing 4 mandates. Arab parties show volatility, with the Joint List receiving 8 mandates and Ra'am 5, totaling 13 mandates.
The poll indicates a close contest between the blocs. The anti-Netanyahu bloc, including "Reservists-Economic" and Ra'am, stands at 67 mandates, with the "change bloc" comprising 54 of those. The pro-Netanyahu bloc holds 49 mandates. The survey was conducted among 500 respondents from October 14-15, with a maximum margin of error of 4.4%.
In a separate development, Gadi Eisenkot made a special security statement on the Gaza border, vowing that Hamas would no longer rule Gaza within 18 months of him entering the Prime Minister's office. He pledged to destroy Hamas's military wing, either through a plan similar to President Trump's or by operational military means. Eisenkot sharply criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu, stating that as long as Netanyahu is in power, Hamas will remain in control, accusing him of surrendering to draft dodgers, coalition partners, and Hamas.
Leaders in the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community are also mobilizing for the elections. Rabbi Dov Landau has instructed ritual slaughterers working for kashrut organizations to forgo overseas work, even at a financial loss, to ensure they can vote. Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch expressed concerns about the current government's policies negatively impacting various sectors of Haredi life, including independent education and yeshivas, attributing this to a desire to weaken the Haredi community's influence in the future. He urged every individual to vote for a Haredi party as the only way to combat these perceived threats.
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