Popularity of Netanyahu coalition falls for 2nd straight week: Poll

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - A new Israeli opinion poll shows the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party continuing to fall amid escalating domestic opposition.

According to Israeli daily Maariv, Netanyahu's governing coalition has lost one seat this week, marking the second consecutive week of dwindling support.

The latest decline in the coalition's popularity is attributed to several issues, including the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon, a controversy over mandatory military service, and a recent court decision rejecting Netanyahu's request to postpone his testimony in a corruption trial.

Netanyahu has consistently claimed that the corruption charges are false and part of a concerted campaign against him by the police and prosecutors.

According to the Maariv report on the poll, released on Friday, if elections were held today, opposition parties would secure 62 seats in the 120-member Knesset (parliament), Netanyahu's camp would get 48, and Arab members of the Knesset would hold 10.

Last week's poll further underscored the declining popularity of the government following the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu’s support for a law exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from mandatory military service.

Netanyahu has also faced controversy over his failure to bring home Israeli hostages held in Gaza and allegations that he had advance warning of Hamas’ cross-border attack last October, which Israel launched its deadly offensive in Gaza in response to.

Some Israeli analysts and politicians have suggested that Netanyahu keeps rejecting calls for a cease-fire in order to avoid holding an election that he fears losing.

Regional tension has escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 43,700 people, mostly women and children, since last year.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of the Gaza war.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi