Gadi Eizenkot’s Yashar Party Surges to 26 Seats but Coalition Falls Short of Majority

A new poll by HaMidmad published on August 26 shows Gadi Eizenkot’s Yashar party surging to 26 Knesset seats, up three from the previous survey. This positions Yashar as the leading party, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, which rose by two seats to 23. The poll reflects a strengthening trend for both parties amid recent Likud primaries that finalized its candidate list.

Naftali Bennett’s Yachdav party continues its recovery, gaining one seat to reach 13, reversing a prior decline. The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, remain steady at 11 seats, while Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu drops one seat to 9. Among ultra-Orthodox parties, Yahadut HaTorah holds steady at 8 seats and Shas remains at 7.

Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit gains 8 seats, and Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party holds 5. In the Arab sector, both Ra’am under Mansour Abbas and Hadash-Ta’al each secure 5 seats. Several parties, including Beit Tzioni-Hamiluimnikim, Achdut, Balad, and Blue and White, fail to cross the electoral threshold.

Regarding coalition blocs, Netanyahu’s coalition totals 51 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. The anti-Netanyahu bloc reaches 59 seats, while Arab parties hold 10 seats. This fragmented landscape suggests continued political uncertainty ahead.

Summary: Gadi Eizenkot’s Yashar party leads with 26 seats in a new poll, but Netanyahu’s coalition remains below the majority threshold, signaling ongoing political deadlock in Israel.