Half of Israelis favor Gantz over Netanyahu for premiership: Poll

By Abdul Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - A recent poll found that only 35% of Israelis see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the most suitable figure for premiership.

Israeli daily Maariv reported the survey results published Friday stating that 35% of respondents "believe that Netanyahu is the most suitable for the premiership, while 45% said that the War Cabinet Member Benny Gantz is more suitable for the position."

According to the survey, 19% did not have a specific answer.

The Lazar Institute poll, done on a random sample of 523 Israelis with an estimated error rate of 4.4%, revealed that if elections were to be held that day, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party would lose roughly half its current 39 seats in the Knesset, the country's parliament.

Meanwhile, the National Unity Party, led by Gantz, would get 30 seats from its current 12, with the opposition securing a total of 66 against 49 held by parties supporting the government.

Forming a government in Israel requires obtaining the confidence of at least 61 members of the Knesset.

Disagreements within the Israeli government are escalating between ministers supporting Netanyahu's policies on the country's onslaught on Gaza and others trying to push for a deal to ensure the return of hostages held by Palestinian group Hamas.

According to the poll, 48% of Israelis support Defense Minister Yoav Galant's stance that "Israel should not maintain military rule over Gaza" if Hamas rule ends.

Conversely, 34% back Netanyahu's position that discussing Gaza's future is premature until Hamas is removed. Meanwhile, 18% of respondents did not offer a definitive opinion.

Israel continues its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

More than 35,300 Palestinians have since been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and over 79,200 others injured since last October following a Hamas attack.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi​​​​​​​