Tel aviv: A new Israeli public opinion poll published by Maariv reveals that if elections were held today, the opposition would secure a parliamentary majority with 61 seats, surpassing the current ruling coalition, which is projected to garner 48 seats.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the poll conducted by the Lazar Research Institute surveyed 501 Israelis. The results demonstrate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's newly established 'Bennett 2026' party are neck and neck, each anticipated to win 25 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
The opposition bloc, which encompasses a range of right-wing, centrist, and left-leaning parties, is set to cross the 61-seat threshold necessary to form a government. Arab parties are collectively expected to secure 11 seats, further solidifying the opposition's potential majority.
Detailed results from the poll show that both Likud, led by Netanyahu, and Bennett 2026, headed by Bennett, would each obtain 25 seats. The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, would gain 11 seats. Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu and the ultra-Orthodox Shas party are each projected to win nine seats.
Meanwhile, Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid and Benny Gantz's National Unity would each capture eight seats. United Torah Judaism and the far-right Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, would each secure seven seats. Additionally, the United Arab List (Ra'am) is expected to receive six seats, while the Hadash-Ta'al alliance (Joint Arab List) would gain five seats.
These findings highlight the mounting political pressure on Netanyahu, who currently faces corruption charges and an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes. The opposition accuses him of extending the conflict in Gaza to retain power and evade accountability.