Support for Netanyahu dropping, Bennett soaring in new poll
If elections were held today, Likud would drop two seats to 34 seats, while Yamina would rise eight seats to 14 seats.
By TZVI JOFFREIsraeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett looks at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to an Israeli army base in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, November 24, 2019(photo credit: ATEF SAFADI/POOL VIA REUTERS)
As support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to fall, former defense minister Naftali Bennett’s Yamina Party was seen rising popularity amid the coronavirus crisis, according to a poll by 103FM which found that the party would garner 14 seats if elections were held today (eight more than in the March elections), while the Likud would earn 34 seats (two less than in the March elections).Yesh Atid earned 16 seats and the Joint List earned 14 seats in the poll.Blue and White, Yisrael Beytenu and Shas would each earn nine seats, while United Torah Judaism and Meretz would earn seven seats.If the right-wing bloc were to be split between the Likud, the haredi parties and Yamina, it would hold 64 seats. If the left-wing bloc were to be split between Yesh Atid, Meretz and Blue and White, it would hold 32 seats.Likud voters were split on the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, with 41% of Likud voters saying that they believed the government has failed in dealing with the crisis.A Channel 13 poll earlier this week found that 45% of respondents thought that the government should appoint Bennett to manage the coronavirus crisis.The survey was conducted by Panels Politics.Tobias Siegal and Alex Winston contributed to this report.
