Poll shows Eisenkot-led bloc with 54 seats, Netanyahu bloc with 50

A poll published Wednesday projected the opposition bloc led by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot to win 54 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 50 for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing bloc.

The survey, published by Israeli Channel 12, showed Eisenkot’s Yashar party remaining the largest party in the projection with 23 seats, while Netanyahu’s Likud was projected to win 20 seats if Knesset elections were held now.

According to the poll, 16 seats would go to parties classified as unaligned with either bloc.

Naftali Bennett’s Together party was projected to secure 13 seats, followed by The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu with nine seats each.

In Netanyahu’s bloc, the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism was projected to win eight seats, while Shas was projected to receive seven.

The Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was projected to receive six seats and Religious Zionism five.

The United Arab List was projected to win five seats, while The Reservists, Amcha Yisrael and Kahol Lavan were each projected to receive four.

The poll said 38 lists had registered to contest the upcoming Knesset elections, with 13 projected to cross the electoral threshold and enter parliament.

A government in Israel requires the support of at least 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset.

The poll comes weeks before Israel’s general elections scheduled for Oct. 27.

Netanyahu has headed the current government since late December 2022.

He is facing corruption charges, while the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for him over war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.