Poll: Majority of Israelis think Netanyahu should not run in next election

A majority of Israelis think that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not run in the next election, according to a poll aired this evening by Channel 12.

Fifty-two percent of Israelis think he should not run, compared to 41% who think that he should and 7% who are not sure.

Asked who should head Netanyahu’s Likud party if not Netanyahu, 48% said they weren’t sure or none of the provided options. The candidate that received the most support was former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, with just 10%, followed by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer (9%), Defense Minister Israel Katz (8%), Justice Minister Yariv Levin (7%), Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (6%), Economy Minister Nir Barkat (5%), Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar (3%), Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter (2%), Energy Minister Eli Cohen (1%) and Transportation Minister Miri Regev (1%).

Asked who should lead the bloc of parties opposing Netanyahu in the next election, 44% of respondents said former prime minister Naftali Bennett, 16% said Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid, 11% said Democrats chief Yair Golan, 11% said Yashar! chief Gadi Eisenkot, 10% said Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman and just 2% said National Unity chairman Benny Gantz.