Poll shows tight race between Gantz and Netanyahu if direct elections were held

A new poll predicts a close race if direct elections for prime minister were held in a bid to solve the current political stalemate — a far-fetched option floated this week by Interior Minister Aryeh Deri.

Despite pundits agreeing that the likelihood of such a move going forward is very low, Channel 12 airs results of a survey conducted on the matter.

According to the results, if those elections would be held today, Netanyahu would get the support of 40 percent of Israelis, slightly more than Gantz’s 36%. The remaining 24%, almost one in four respondents, say they were undecided or that they wouldn’t show up to vote.

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz, left, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speak on election night in Tel Aviv at separate party events, September 18, 2019. (Miram Alster, Hadas Parush/Flash90)

Among those who described themselves as right-wing voters, 66% say they would vote Netanyahu, 15% say they would back Gantz and 19% were undecided or wouldn’t vote.

Of the self-described center-left voters, 67% say they would support Gantz, 7% would vote Netanyahu, and 26% say they don’t know or would not vote.

The poll was conducted by the Midgam polling agency, in association with the iPanel online polling agency. Channel 12 does not detail the margin of error or the number of respondents.