A stable coalition is within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's grasp, Kan 11 News projected on Sunday, is a poll that for the first time since the election campaign began placed the longtime Israeli leader on solid political ground.
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The survey predicted that were elections held at this time, Likud would win 29 Knesset seats, followed by Yesh Atid (18), New Hope (14), Yamina (12), the Joint Arab List (9), Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party Shas (8), Ashkenazi Haredi party United Torah Judaism (7), Labor (7), Yisrael Beytenu (6), Religious Zionist Party (5), and Blue and White (4).
Results further predicted that for the first time since 1992, left-wing staple Meretz would fail to pass the four-seat electoral threshold.
The Economic party, as well as Ra'am, which split from the Joint Arab List last week, also fail to cross the electoral threshold.
Asked who they would rather see as prime minister, Netanyahu or New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar, 38% favored Netanyahu, 33% chose Sa'ar, and 29% said neither should be the prime minister.
Asked to choose between Netanyahu and Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid, 45% named Netanyahu, 28% opted for Lapid, and 27% said neither should be the prime minister.
Respondents were also asked whether they believed Netanyahu's decision-making process in managing the coronavirus crisis was affected by his legal troubles: 56% agreed, 27% disagreed, and 17% said they had no opinion on the matter.
Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz told Israel Radio on Wednesday that while the results of the poll were troubling, "there are other polls out there."
Most surveys so far projected Meretz would be able to just pass the electoral threshold, securing four or five seats in parliament.
Still, Horowitz called the poll "a wakeup call," saying, "This is a call to all those who want a substantial Center-Left bloc in the Knesset."
Meanwhile, Education Minister Yoav Gallant joined the growing opposition within Likud to the prospect of Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir becoming a minister in the next government.
The far-Right Otzma Yehudit has never before been elected to the Knesset. Ahead of the March 23 elections – and at Netanyahu's urging – Ben-Gvir formed a technical bloc with Religious Zionist Party leader Betzalel Smotrich. As the latter is expected to win five seats, this places Ben-Gvir within reach of a ministerial position.
Prior to striking an alliance with RZP, Otzma Yehudit joined forces with Noam, a radical Haredi faction.
"I don't think having Ben-Gvir in the government would benefit Likud," Gallant said.
On Tuesday, Likud and RZP signed a vote-sharing agreement.
Similar deals were struck earlier this week between right-wing New Hope and Yamina parties, and between Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beytenu.
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