Eisenkot Leads Netanyahu in New Channel 13 Poll

DID Press: A new poll by Israel’s Channel 13 television network shows Gadi Eisenkot’s party leading the political field with 22 seats, ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, which is projected to win 19 seats. The results point to a shift in the balance among Israeli political parties ahead of the elections.

According to the poll, Naftali Bennett’s “Together” party ranks third with 14 seats, followed by Yair Golan’s Democrats with 10 seats and the Joint List with nine seats.

Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit and United Torah Judaism are each projected to win eight seats.

Although Eisenkot’s party leads in the poll, the published figures do not indicate a clear majority for either political bloc. The ability to form a governing coalition remains a decisive factor in determining who will take power in Israel.

Analyses of the competition between Eisenkot and Netanyahu have also argued that differences between the two political figures do not necessarily reflect fundamental differences in their war aims. Instead, the contest may concern how the war is managed, how political decisions are made and how military developments are used in domestic politics.

The analysis presented in the source text further suggests that Eisenkot could pose a greater threat than Netanyahu if he wins the election.