From the Liveblog of
Friday, February 16, 2024
New poll shows anti-Netanyahu bloc with 76 seats, Smotrich’s Religious Zionism out
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A national poll by the Maariv newspaper today indicates that the current opposition, along with Benny Gantz’s National Unity party (previously in the opposition but now a member of the emergency government), could secure 76 of the Knesset’s 120 seats if elections were held today, with the bloc loyal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu far behind at 44.
The poll projects Gantz’s party with 40 seats, while Netanyahu’s Likud party is at 18 seats.
The most significant change in the poll was that far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party does not pass the 3.25 percent electoral threshold necessary to enter the Knesset. Last election, Smotrich, running on a joint ticket with ultranationalist Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, received 14 seats. Current polls have the two running separately. Ben Gvir received 10 seats.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party received 12 seats, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu had 10 and Aryeh Deri’s ultra-Orthodox Shas party was at 9.
The ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party remained at 7 seats, Arab lists Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al both received 5 and the left-wing Meretz — not currently in the Knesset — got 4.
Smotrich, polling at 2.9%, the Arab Balad party, with 1.4% and Labor at 1% fail to cross the threshold.
The Times of Israel Community.