Gadi Eizenkot's Yisrael Party Surpasses Netanyahu's Likud in Dramatic New Poll

A dramatic political shift emerged in Israel as a new poll by the Midgam Institute, aired on Channel 13, showed former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot's party, Yisrael, overtaking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud for the first time. Yisrael climbed to 23 Knesset seats, while Likud dropped to 22, signaling a significant change in voter preferences within the anti-Netanyahu camp.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's party, Yachdav, declined from 17 to 15 seats, possibly contributing to Yisrael's rise as centrist voters shift allegiances. In the religious and ultra-Orthodox sector, parties Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Otzma Yehudit each maintained steady support with eight seats apiece. The Religious Zionist Party and Ra'am each held stable at five seats.

Other parties showed relative stability: Yisrael Beiteinu led by Avigdor Lieberman and The Democrats each secured 10 seats, while the Hadash-Ta'al alliance gained six. A notable disappointment was the newly formed Hendel-Troper alliance, which failed to cross the electoral threshold, garnering only 2.2% of the vote. Blue and White and Balad also fell below the threshold.

Despite these shifts, the overall bloc balance remains unchanged. The anti-Netanyahu bloc, including Yisrael, Yachdav, Yisrael Beiteinu, and The Democrats, holds 58 seats, while the pro-Netanyahu bloc, comprising Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, and Religious Zionists, holds 51 seats. Arab parties hold 11 seats combined, meaning no bloc can form a majority without their support or a major realignment, indicating continued political deadlock in Israel.

The poll underscores the evolving political landscape ahead of upcoming elections, with Eizenkot emerging as a leading alternative to Netanyahu and ongoing fragmentation among centrist and right-wing parties.