Netanyahu, Herzog unity-government talks yield no results

Netanyahu and Herzog met for several hours last night to discuss bringing the Zionist Union into the government, Channel 2 reports, but there was no progress in the closed-door talks.

The two sides reportedly disagree over the gas deal, a bill that aims to force foreign-funded NGOs to label themselves as such, and a bill allowing the Knesset to suspend MKs. Netanyahu’s office tells Channel 2 that there were major differences and that major gaps remain.

Polls conducted by Channel 2 and Channel 10 found that the public is split evenly over whether they support a potential unity government. Fifty percent were against it in the Channel 10 poll and 52% opposed it in the Channel 2 survey.

If elections were held today, Channel 2’s poll found the following outcome, with a severe drop for the Zionist Union: Likud 27, Yesh Atid 18, Zionist Union 17, Joint (Arab) List 13, Jewish Home 10, Yisrael Beytenu nine, Kulanu seven, UTJ seven, Shas six and Meretz six.

A similar poll by Channel 10 gave Likud 25, Yesh Atid 20, Zionist Union 13, Joint List 14, Jewish Home 12, Yisrael Beytenu nine, Kulanu nine, Shas six, UTJ six, Meretz six.