Israeli Poll Shows Tight Race Between Netanyahu and Eisenkot Camps
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
A new Israeli poll shows a tight race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, with the latter ahead by one seat. Eisenkot's party, Yishar, is projected to win 23 seats, two more than Netanyahu's Likud. The economy and security are the top voter priorities, with differing emphasis between coalition and opposition supporters. If no majority is formed, a national unity government is the preferred outcome for a third of respondents.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A new poll shows Gadi Eisenkot's bloc leading Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc by just one seat, 52 to 51.
- Gadi Eisenkot's Yishar party is projected to win 23 seats, two more than Netanyahu's Likud party.
- The economy and cost of living are the top election priorities for 34% of Israeli voters.
- Security is the primary concern for 32% of voters, and a higher priority for coalition supporters.
- A national unity government is the preferred outcome for 33% if neither bloc wins a majority.
A new public opinion poll in Israel indicates a very close race between the two main political blocs, with neither securing a decisive majority. The bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yishar party, is projected to win 52 seats, just one seat ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc, which is expected to garner 51 seats. An additional four seats are allocated to the Hendel-Zalicha alliance, whose allegiance remains undecided.
The poll, published by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11), also shows that Eisenkot's Yishar party would win 23 seats if elections were held today, two seats more than Netanyahu's Likud party, which is projected to get 21 seats. The alliance of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, called "B'Yachad," is expected to secure 12 seats.
Regarding preferred leadership, Eisenkot leads Netanyahu in suitability for the prime minister role, with 43% support compared to Netanyahu's 35%. Among opposition voters specifically, Eisenkot holds a 51% to 28% lead over Bennett.
When asked about the most important issues for voters, 34% cited the economy and cost of living, while 32% prioritized security. Constitutional and legal issues, including judicial reform, were important to 14% of respondents.
There is a significant divide in priorities between government coalition and opposition voters. Coalition supporters overwhelmingly favor security (45%) over the economy (19%), while opposition voters prioritize the economy (41%) over security (28%).
Looking ahead, 39% of those polled stated their voting intentions would not change. However, 19% indicated that a shift in the security situation could influence their vote, with a similar percentage pointing to changes in the cost of living. If neither bloc achieves a majority, 33% of respondents prefer a national unity government, while 27% favor new elections.
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