Political Analyst Filber Reveals Where 400,000 Votes Disappeared From Opposition Bloc

A recent poll showing Gadi Eisenkot leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by one seat and an apparent strengthening of the opposition bloc has sparked political debate in Israel. However, political analyst Shlomo Filber, in an interview on Channel 14's "Israel HaBoker" with Tal Meir, offered a different interpretation. Filber cautioned that the poll differences do not necessarily reflect deep shifts among voters but rather internal dynamics within the blocs.

Filber highlighted a consistent strengthening of the Likud party over the past two weeks alongside a steady decline in Benny Gantz's strength. He pointed out the phenomenon of "lost mandates" for Likud, estimating that about eight seats currently held by supporters of Naftali Bennett should naturally belong to Likud, which would bring Likud's total to over 30 seats.

He further noted that out of 1.2 million Likud supporters, approximately 400,000 votes appear to have shifted to the opposition bloc, but their identities and reasons remain unclear, as they are not visible in media discourse. Filber emphasized that in the past year and a half, there has been no significant movement between the political blocs, with the right-wing bloc remaining stable.

Regarding smaller and new parties, Filber stated none have crossed the electoral threshold or come close to securing half the necessary mandates. On the possibility of a broad national government, Filber said Netanyahu is open to inviting any party willing to join based on fundamental principles, while the opposition bloc insists on an all-or-nothing approach, refusing to include any right-wing parties in their coalition.

This analysis sheds light on the complexities behind polling data and the current political stalemate ahead of the 2026 elections.