Survey shows voters prefer Eisenkot over Netanyahu for prime minister, in first

A Channel 12 survey tonight shows former minister and IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the new Yashar party, preferred to Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister for what it says is the first time.

Asked which of the two men is more suited to be premier, 38% of respondents say Eisenkot, while 35% say Netanyahu.

Netanyahu is preferred to former prime minister Naftali Bennett by 38% to 31%. Israel does not directly elect its prime ministers.

The survey also asks opposition voters who should lead the anti-Netanyahu opposition, and they plump for Eisenkot over Bennett by 46% to 39%.

Asked whether Bennett’s Together party and Eisenkot’s Yashar should unite for the elections, 53% of opposition voters say yes, and 33% say no.

In terms of party support, the Channel 12 survey shows the anti-Netanyahu Zionist bloc winning 59 seats, the pro-Netanyahu coalition at 51 seats and the Arab parties holding the other 10.

It scores the parties as follows: Likud: 23; Together: 21; Yashar: 19; The Democrats: 10; Shas: 9; Yisrael Beytenu: 9; Otzma Yehudit: 8; United Torah Judaism: 7; Hadash- Ta’al: 5; Ra’am: 5; Religious Zionism: 4.

It puts Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party below the Knesset threshold, along with the Reservists and Balad.

Asked if they support yesterday’s chaotic and contentious election by MKs of Netanyahu’s lawyer Michael Rabello as state comptroller, 18% of respondents are in favor, and 45% are against.

Asked if they fear the general elections due this fall will be “disrupted,” 57% say yes and 35% say no.

The Channel 12 poll was conducted by the Midgam polling firm on June 4. The sample size was 505, and the margin of error was ±4.4%.