New Poll Shows Netanyahu Bloc Significantly Weakened Ahead of Elections

A dramatic new poll released by Channel 13 just six days before the upcoming elections shows a significant shift in the political landscape, potentially complicating the path for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc. The "Am Israel" party, led by Ofer Winter, has fallen below the electoral threshold, receiving only 3.2% of the vote and failing to secure any Knesset seats, a sharp decline from its previous four-seat projection.

This development has directly impacted the bloc calculations. Netanyahu's potential coalition bloc has dropped to 49 seats, while the opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, has risen to 52 seats. Arab parties collectively hold 15 seats. The reservists' party, led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zehlikah, is projected to win 4 seats with 3.6% of the vote.

Among the parties expected to enter the Knesset, Eisenkot's "Yashar" party leads with 20 seats. Netanyahu's Likud party gains one seat to reach 19, and Naftali Bennett's "Beiteinu" remains at 14 seats. Yair Golan's "Democrats" strengthen to 10 seats, and the Joint List secures 9 seats.

Other parties' projections include Religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich and United Torah Judaism, each gaining a seat to reach 8. Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu also stands at 8 seats. Otzma Yehudit and Shas are projected to receive 7 seats each, while Ra'am holds onto 6 seats. The Haredi party "HaTzibur HaHaredi" is projected to remain outside the Knesset with 1.2% of the vote.

The poll also indicated a preference for Eisenkot over Netanyahu for prime minister, with 46% favoring Eisenkot compared to 38% for Netanyahu. Among coalition voters, however, Netanyahu is overwhelmingly preferred (86% to 5%). Eisenkot also holds a significant advantage on the issue of the conscription crisis, with 49% trusting a coalition led by him to handle it better, versus 27% for Netanyahu.

Furthermore, the survey revealed widespread concern about the integrity of the elections, with 59% of respondents fearing damage to the democratic process. This concern is higher among opposition voters (66%) than coalition voters (50%). The poll surveyed 1,084 respondents with a 3% margin of error.