New Poll Shows Netanyahu and Eizenkot Tied at 23 Seats Each in Israeli Election

A new poll published on July 6, 2026, by Channel 12 and conducted by the Midgam Institute reveals a dramatic shift in the Israeli political landscape. For the first time in the current election cycle, the Likud party led by Benjamin Netanyahu and the Yisrael party led by Gadi Eizenkot are tied, each securing 23 Knesset seats. Likud has lost one seat compared to previous polls, while Yisrael gained one, marking a significant turning point.

The joint party headed by Naftali Bennett continues to decline, dropping another seat to 16, reflecting ongoing challenges for the Bennett-Lapid alliance. In the ultra-Orthodox sector, United Torah Judaism, led by Yitzhak Goldknopf, strengthened to 8 seats, an increase of one, while Shas, under Aryeh Deri, remains steady at 8 seats.

Among medium-sized parties, the Democratic camp led by Yair Golan holds 10 seats, making it the fourth largest faction. Both Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, and Otzma Yehudit have 9 seats each, with Lieberman’s party showing some voter stability. Arab parties and Religious Zionism also maintain significant representation, with Hadash-Ta'al at 6 seats, Religious Zionism under Bezalel Smotrich at 4 seats, and Ra'am led by Mansour Abbas also at 4 seats.

Several parties remain below the electoral threshold, including Blue and White under Benny Gantz at 1%, The Reservists led by Yoaz Hendel at 1%, and Balad under Sami Abu Shehadeh at 0.7%. The bloc map shows the opposition holding 58 seats versus the current coalition’s 52, with Arab parties holding 10 seats, positioning them as potential kingmakers in government formation.

This poll underscores a highly fragmented Knesset and a complex path ahead for coalition building in Israel’s upcoming elections.