Berkovich Challenges Philber: Resign if Rival Polls Prove Correct

By מערכת ice

Translated & summarized from Ice by baba

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Former footballer Eyal Berkovich challenged Shlomo Philber, owner of Direct Polls, to resign if rival TV polls from Channels 12 and 13 prove more accurate than Philber's. Berkovich made the statement during a radio discussion with Erel Segal, agreeing to publicly apologize to Philber if his predictions hold true. The dispute highlights significant differences in mandate predictions between right-wing and centrist Israeli media outlets. Philber, a former government official, has a history of managing election campaigns and running a prominent polling firm.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Eyal Berkovich challenged Shlomo Philber to resign if rival polls from Channels 12 and 13 are correct.
Berkovich vowed to publicly apologize and praise Philber if Philber's polls accurately predict election results.
The dispute centers on differing mandate predictions between right-wing Channel 14 and centrist Channels 12 and 13.
Shlomo Philber is the former Director-General of the Ministry of Communications and owner of Direct Polls.
Philber managed the Likud party's election campaign in 2015 and was involved in "Case 4000" investigation.
Berkovich and Segal discussed the significant gap in Likud mandate predictions between different polls.

Former footballer Eyal Berkovich has issued a public challenge to Shlomo Philber, the former Director-General of the Ministry of Communications and current owner of the Direct Polls research institute, which conducts polls for Channel 14. During a discussion on radio 103FM with journalist Erel Segal, Berkovich stated that if Philber's polls, which reportedly show a significant advantage for the right-wing bloc, accurately predict the election results, he would publicly apologize and praise Philber. However, Berkovich added that if the polls from Channels 12 and 13 prove correct, Philber should resign that same evening.

Segal, a prominent figure on Channel 14's program 'The Patriots,' agreed with Berkovich's sentiment. Berkovich highlighted a notable discrepancy between the polls from the centrist Channels 12 and 13 and those from the right-leaning Channel 14. He noted that Philber's polls suggest the right-wing bloc could secure 61 or 62 seats with the Likud party receiving 30 mandates, while other polls show the Likud with only 18 mandates.

Philber previously served as Director-General of the Ministry of Communications from 2015 to 2018 and managed the Likud party's election campaign in 2015. He was also a key figure in "Case 4000," an investigation involving senior figures from Bezeq, Yes, and Walla, which led to his temporary suspension in August 2017. From March 2019 to April 2025, he owned Direct Polls, a company that has conducted primary polls for the Labor and Likud parties and advised various political entities. Philber announced in early May 2025 that he was selling his stake in Direct Polls.