Election poll shows Netanyahu is preferred PM, but doesn’t have a coalition

Channel 13 publishes an early poll ahead of the September 17 election that shows a plurality of Israelis favoring Benjamin Netanyahu for premier, but suggests he may have a hard time leading a right-wing coalition.

The results in Knesset seats are:

Likud 31
Blue and White 29
Joint (Arab) list 9
Yisrael Beytenu 8
Labor 7
Shas 7
Ehud Barak’s party 6
United Torah Judaism 6
New Right 5
Jewish Home-National Union 4
Zehut 4
Meretz 4

That leaves a clear right-wing coalition short of the 61-seat majority, at 57 seats, and grants Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party the final 8 Netanyahu will need to form the coalition. Liberman’s demands on issues linked to the ultra-Orthodox draft prevented the formation of the last coalition — when Liberman had just five seats at his command.

But when Israelis are asked in the poll which candidate is most fitting to be prime minister, the results heavily favor Netanyahu:

Benjamin Netanyahu 46%
Benny Gantz 24%
Ehud Barak 10%