Israeli opposition leads Netanyahu’s bloc 52-51 ahead of elections: Poll

Israel’s opposition parties would win 52 seats against 51 for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, according to a poll published Sunday, 23 days before elections scheduled for Oct. 27. The survey, published by Israeli public broadcaster KAN, showed neither camp securing the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party maintained its lead with 23 seats, followed by Netanyahu’s Likud with 21. Naftali Bennett’s Beyahad party would secure 12 seats, while the Democrats, led by Yair Golan, would take eight. Jewish Power would also win eight seats, while the joint Religious Zionism-Zehut slate led by Bezalel Smotrich would get six. For the first time in weeks, Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party failed to cross the electoral threshold, according to the poll. Among Arab parties, the Joint List rose to eight seats following Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh’s withdrawal from the Knesset race, while the United Arab List, known as Ra’am, retained five. KAN said the result leaves the opposition’s so-called “change bloc” unable to form a 61-seat coalition without Ra’am. The poll came as Israel’s Central Elections Committee ruled Sunday that Netanyahu had used soldiers for prohibited election campaigning and ordered him to pay 29,000 shekels, approximately $9,000, in legal expenses. The Knesset ended its work on July 17 after approving its dissolution ahead of the elections. Netanyahu has headed the current government since late December 2022. He faces corruption charges, as well as an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.