The Israeli coalition lost a seat and now holds only 48 seats in the Knesset as the Bennett-Eisenkot opposition bloc now commands a majority of 62 seats, a new poll by Israeli newspaper Maariv finds.
In the poll, conducted by “Lazar Research” and led by Dr. Menachem Lazar in collaboration with Panel4All, Likud lost two seats, dropping to 24. In contrast, former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s party gained two, also reaching 24 seats to tie.
As a result of these shifts the coalition lost a seat, now holding only 48 seats in the Knesset, and the Bennett-Eisenkot opposition bloc now commanding a majority of 62 seats (up by one from the previous poll), excluding the Arab parties, which also gained ten seats, according to the poll.
Despite Blue and White, led by MK Benny Gantz, still not passing the electoral threshold, it has been inching slowly closer, receiving 2.9% of votes, compared to 2.3% in the previous poll.
In contrast, the Religious Zionist Party has moved even further away from the electoral threshold, dropping from 2.8% to 1.3%. Former communications minister Yoaz Hendel’s party, HaMiluimnikim (“The Reservists”), also failed to reach the threshold, dropping from 2.9% to 2.3%.
The poll came amid the renewed push to form a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack, and the ongoing investigation into former military advocate general Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi.
When asked whether they support the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into October 7, appointed by the High Court of Justice, 67% of respondents supported it, 23% opposed, and 10% said they did not know.
Even among coalition supporters, 34% supported the creation of a commission of inquiry.
“Foreign Military Presence Harms Israeli Military”
When asked if voters believed that foreign military presence in the Gaza Strip would harm the Israeli occupation military’s ability to “deal with security threats originating in the Strip,” just over half (51%) believed foreign military presence would harm the occupation army, 24% believed it would not, and 25% were unsure.
In response to the question of granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a pardon, 44% opposed the move, 39% supported it, and the rest (17%) said they did not know.
The poll, conducted from November 13-14, included 500 respondents, representing a sample of Israeli adult population (18+), “both Jewish and Arab,” Maariv said, noting that the maximum margin of error in the poll is 4.4%.
Source: Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)
