Gadi Eizenkot's Yisra Party Tops Poll, Netanyahu's Likud Second with Slim Coalition Majority

A new Knesset poll published on Monday by Channel 12 News shows a tight race at the top, with Gadi Eizenkot's Yisra party leading as the largest faction with 24 seats. Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud follows closely in second place with 23 seats. Naftali Bennett's Yachdav party ranks third with 15 seats, while Yair Golan's Democrats secure 11 seats and Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu gains nine seats.

Among the religious and ultra-Orthodox parties, there is a three-way tie: Shas led by Aryeh Deri, United Torah Judaism under Yitzhak Goldknopf, and Otzma Yehudit headed by Itamar Ben-Gvir each receive eight seats. The Religious Zionist Party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, narrowly passes the electoral threshold with four seats, making it the smallest party to enter the Knesset according to this poll. The Arab parties Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am, led by Yosef Jabareen, Ahmad Tibi, and Mansour Abbas respectively, each win five seats, totaling ten seats combined.

Smaller parties such as the Zionist Home-Miluimnikim under Hili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel fall below the threshold with 2.7%, Balad led by Sami Abu Shehadeh gets 1.7%, and Blue and White under Benny Gantz receives only 1.3%.

Regarding bloc distribution, the opposition bloc comprising Yisra, Yachdav, Democrats, and Yisrael Beiteinu reaches 59 seats, two short of a majority without the Arab parties. The coalition bloc, including Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, and the Religious Zionist Party, holds a narrow majority with 51 seats. Including the Arab parties' 10 seats, all non-coalition parties total 69 seats.

This poll highlights a fragmented political landscape with no clear dominant bloc, suggesting potential challenges in forming a stable government after the upcoming elections.