Gadi Eizenkot's Yashar Party Leads with 23 Seats in New Israeli Poll

A new poll by HaMidmad, published Wednesday on Channel 13 News, shows the political landscape in Israel with Gadi Eizenkot's Yashar party leading at 23 Knesset seats. The Likud party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, follows closely with 22 seats. Among the ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas, headed by Aryeh Deri, has dropped to 7 seats, while United Torah Judaism remains stable at 8 seats.

The opposition bloc has strengthened to 58 seats, surpassing Netanyahu's coalition bloc, which holds 51 seats. Notably, the Yamina party led by Naftali Bennett remains steady at 13 seats. The Democrats, under Yair Golan, have gained one seat to reach 11, matching Yisrael Beiteinu led by Avigdor Lieberman. Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, holds 9 seats, and Religious Zionism, headed by Bezalel Smotrich, has 5 seats.

In the Arab sector, Hadash-Ta'al receives 6 seats, and Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, has 5 seats. Several parties, including those led by Hili Trooper and Yoaz Hendel, Balad, and Blue and White under Benny Gantz, fall below the electoral threshold in this poll. This contrasts with previous surveys where Trooper and Hendel's list managed to cross the threshold and even reach 5 seats.

The poll reflects shifting political dynamics ahead of upcoming elections, highlighting a strengthened opposition and challenges for Netanyahu's coalition. The results also indicate volatility among smaller parties and the ultra-Orthodox sector.