Opposition Bloc Reaches 61 Seats for First Time in New Israeli Poll

A new poll released by Channel 13 reveals a significant political shift in Israel, showing for the first time that the opposition bloc against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secured the crucial 61-seat majority needed to form a government. This breakthrough is largely due to the new Hendel-Troper party crossing the electoral threshold and winning four seats, which has shifted the balance of power.

The opposition bloc now holds 61 seats, excluding the Arab parties that collectively have nine seats. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's current coalition has weakened considerably, dropping to 50 seats. The Hendel-Troper list, composed of reservists linked to Yoaz Hendel and Hili Troper's movement, has been pivotal in transferring key votes to the opposition.

Other notable poll results include the "Democrats" party led by Yair Golan rising to 11 seats. At the top of the political map, Netanyahu's Likud leads narrowly with 22 seats, closely followed by Gadi Eizenkot's "Yashar!" party with 21 seats, positioning it as a major alternative. Naftali Bennett's "Together" party holds 15 seats, and Avigdor Lieberman's "Yisrael Beiteinu" has 10.

Among religious parties, Yahadut HaTorah leads with eight seats, while Shas and Otzma Yehudit each have seven. The Religious Zionist Party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, stands at six seats. Arab parties Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am have five and four seats respectively. Parties below the threshold include Balad with 2% and Blue and White with 0.8% support.

This poll outcome has stirred the political landscape, reinforcing expectations that every vote will be critical in determining the next Israeli government.