Poll shows rise in popularity of Israeli Premier Netanyahu’s party amid finance minister's decline

By Abderaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - A new opinion poll in Israel revealed on Friday a surge in the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, while the far-right Religious Zionism Party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, failed to meet the electoral threshold.

According to the Israeli daily Maariv, the poll highlighted Likud gaining three additional seats following Netanyahu’s court testimony in his ongoing corruption trial, coupled with the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria.

However, despite Likud's gains, the coalition’s overall strength remained unchanged due to Religious Zionism falling below the 3.25% electoral threshold required to enter the Knesset.

If elections were held today, Likud would secure 25 of the 120 Knesset seats. The main opposition party, Benny Gantz’s National Unity Party, would win 19 seats, while Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid would take 14.

This allocation would leave Netanyahu’s coalition with 50 seats, the opposition with 60, and Arab parties with 10 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority required to form a government.

When asked about the impact of Netanyahu’s corruption trial testimony, 16% of respondents said it positively influenced their perception of him, 15% reported a negative shift, and 69% stated it made no difference.

President Isaac Herzog clarified on Thursday that granting Netanyahu a pardon is not under consideration, as the prime minister faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

The poll also surveyed public opinion on the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. While 42% of respondents viewed it as beneficial to Israel, 8% saw it as harmful, and 50% said it was too early to assess its implications.

Despite the political dynamics and mounting legal challenges, Netanyahu has dismissed the possibility of early elections, citing the ongoing war as a reason to maintain the current government structure.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 44,800 victims, mostly women and children, since an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last month for Netanyahu and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi