Israeli Public Rates Government Ministers Poorly in New Survey

A recent political survey conducted by Ulpan Shishi in collaboration with Midgam and iPanel reveals widespread public dissatisfaction with the performance of Israeli government ministers. The survey, published on July 3, 2026, shows that all examined ministers received predominantly negative ratings, with Education Minister Yoav Kish receiving the lowest approval, including from voters within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc.

The survey results indicate that 69% of respondents gave Kish a poor rating, the highest negative score among ministers. Other ministers also faced unfavorable evaluations: Netanyahu received a 58% negative rating, Defense Minister Israel Katz 61%, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir 63%, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich 69%, Justice Minister Yariv Levin 60%, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar 54%. Notably, Kish was the only minister with more negative than positive ratings among Netanyahu's supporters.

Regarding responsibility for the return of living hostages, 58% of respondents credited former U.S. President Donald Trump as primarily responsible, while only 28% attributed the achievement to Netanyahu's government. This follows public statements by Smotrich and Netanyahu claiming credit for the hostages' return.

On leadership preferences, 58% of those surveyed favored a candidate other than Netanyahu for the next prime minister, with only 33% supporting his continuation. Additionally, the survey found strong opposition (66%) to the recently approved Basic Law on Torah Study, which defines Torah study as a fundamental value, with only 21% in favor.

The survey also included party seat projections: Netanyahu's Likud at 22 seats, Israel Resilience (led by Gadi Eisenkot) at 21.25 seats, and the Bennett-Lapid alliance at 17.25 seats. The "pro-Bibi" bloc totals 51.5 seats, while the "anti-Bibi" bloc holds 68.5 seats, indicating a parliamentary majority against Netanyahu.

These findings highlight significant public disapproval of current government ministers, skepticism about Netanyahu's leadership, and resistance to recent legislative initiatives.