Poll: Government supporters favor Levin to succeed Netanyahu atop Likud; most Israelis think PM should fire Ben Gvir

Justice Minister Yariv Levin is the most popular candidate among supporters of the government to succeed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when his time ends at the helm of the Likud party, a Channel 12 survey finds. Among all respondents, former defense minister Yoav Gallant is the preferred option.

The poll also finds that a majority of the public thinks Netanyahu should fire National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose revolt against a crucial coalition budget bill this week forced the 75-year-old premier to come to the Knesset to vote for the bill, leaving the hospital where he was recovering from prostate surgery. Ben Gvir has been voting against the coalition over his demand for a larger budget for the police force, which he oversees as national security minister.

Meanwhile, continuing the trend of previous weeks, the poll finds Netanyahu is seen as a better fit for the role of premier than all major rivals but one — former prime minister Naftali Bennett, whose lead over Netanyahu is slimmer than it was in recent polls. A majority of respondents also supported holding snap elections.

Asked who should succeed Netanyahu atop Likud, Levin, architect of the government’s contentious plan to overhaul the judiciary, receives the support of 6% of all respondents, including 14% of those who support the government. Gallant, who resigned from the Knesset this week over clashes with Netanyahu regarding Israel’s strategy in Gaza and the ultra-Orthodox draft exemption bill, is supported by 15% of all respondents, including 7% of government supporters.

Meanwhile, Economy Minister Nir Barkat is supported by 9% of all respondents, including 11% of pro-government respondents; Defense Minister Israel Katz is supported by 6% of all respondents, including 10% of government supporters; Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who returned to the Likud this week four years after forming the breakaway New Hope party, is supported by 5% of all respondents, including 5% of government supporters; Yuli Edelstein, chair of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee who, like Gallant, has expressed reservations about the military draft law, is supported by 4% of all respondents, including 3% of government supporters; Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter is supported by 3% of all respondents, including 3% of government supporters; Energy Minister Eli Cohen is supported by 2% of all respondents, including 3% of government supporters; Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana is supported by 1% of all respondents, including 2% of government supporters; and Transportation Minister Miri Regev receives 0% support from pro- and anti-government respondents alike.

Twenty-one percent of respondents, including 16% of government supporters, say they want someone other than the above politicians to lead the Likud post-Netanyahu; and 28%, including 26% of government supporters, say they don’t know.

Asked what motivated Ben Gvir’s vote against the government this week, 60% of respondents say the vote was politically motivated, 21% say it was professionally motivated and 19% say they don’t know.

Fifty-nine percent say Netanyahu should fire Ben Gvir over his conduct, while 24% disagree and 17% say they don’t know. Among government supporters, the result was roughly tied, with 38% saying Netanyahu should fire Ben Gvir, 38% saying he shouldn’t and 21% saying they don’t know.

The survey also finds Netanyahu holding on to his lead over most rival contenders for the premiership.

In a match-up with Opposition Chief Yair Lapid, 40% say they prefer Netanyahu for the role, as opposed to 24% who prefer Lapid, while 32% say neither and 4% say they don’t know. Against National Unity chief Benny Gantz, Netanyahu receives 38% support as opposed to Gantz’s 28%, while 29% say neither and 5% say they don’t know.

By contrast, Bennett inches past Netanyahu, scoring 37% support to the incumbent’s 36%, while 22% say neither and 5% say they don’t know.

Israel’s next election is set for October 2026, but critics of the government have demanded to move it up, arguing that the government must re-seek its public mandate after failing to prevent thousands of Hamas-led terrorists from storming southern Israel on October 7, 2023, to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in Gaza.

Asked when they think the next election should take place, 55% of respondents to the Channel 12 poll say the vote should be held “as soon as possible,” while 39% say it should be held on its scheduled date and 6% say they don’t know.

The poll was conducted by Mano Geva’s Midgam polling company in cooperation with the iPanel online research firm. Channel 12 does not provide a sample size or margin of error.