Poll: Public unhappy with PM’s handling of train work row

Nearly half of the public blame Prime Minister Netanyahu for the political crisis over cancelled construction work planned to have taken place over Shabbat, according to a Channel 2 poll.

The poll shows that 49 percent of respondents said the prime minister is responsible for the political crisis stemming from the controversy while only 14% say Katz is to blame; 17% think Netanyahu should fire Katz compared to 69% who say he should stay in the job.

Only 25% of the public backs Netanyahu’s decision to cancel the construction work while 63% oppose the move.

Planned rail maintenance was ordered frozen by Netanyahu on Friday evening when ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism complained over the violation of the Sabbath that the work would entail, and threatened to topple the coalition if it wasn’t halted. He has said the construction work was pushed by Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, seeking to cause a crisis.