An opinion poll in Israel, revealed on Friday, shows that if elections were held today, Benny Gantz, leader of the opposition National Unity Party, would surpass Benjamin Netanyahu as the preferred choice for prime minister.
According to the poll published by the Israeli daily Maariv, only 35 percent of respondents believe Netanyahu is suitable for the position of prime minister, while 42 percent favor Gantz, a former member of the country’s emergency unity government.
The Lazar Institute poll also indicated that 23 percent of the random sample of 510 Israelis had no preference for either candidate.
If elections were held today, the poll results suggest that the National Unity Party would secure 23 out of 120 seats in the Knesset, or Israeli parliament.
Netanyahu’s Likud party would obtain 22 seats, and the Yesh Atid party, led by opposition leader Yair Lapid, would receive 16 seats.
The survey also highlighted a notable increase in support for the right-wing opposition party Yisrael Beiteinu, led by former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, which would secure 14 seats, up from nine in previous polls.
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The daily further noted that the bloc supporting Netanyahu’s government would secure 48 seats, while the opposition would obtain 62 seats, with Arab representatives accounting for 10 seats.
To form a government in Israel, at least 61 votes are needed in the Knesset.
Despite Netanyahu’s reluctance to hold early elections, there are calls for new elections in the country.
Gantz Resigns
On June 9, Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz resigned from the emergency unity government led by Netanyahu.
In a press conference held in Tel Aviv, National Unity party chairman Benny Gantz urged Netanyahu to call for early elections “as soon as possible.”
“Do not let our nation tear apart,” Gantz implored.
“Unfortunately, Netanyahu prevents us from achieving true victory,” he continued. “To ensure a real victory, we should hold elections this fall, a year after the disaster, to establish a government that will gain the people’s trust and effectively face our challenges.”
Gantz also called on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to resign from Netanyahu’s government.
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“Defense Minister, you are a courageous and determined leader, and above all, a patriot. At this time, leadership and courage mean not only saying what’s right but doing what’s right,” Gantz stated.
Gantz, who joined the government on October 7, had set June 8 as a deadline for Netanyahu to draft a post-war plan for Gaza or he would leave the coalition.
On Friday, Israeli media reported that Gantz was expected to resign, following the expiration of an ultimatum to the Israeli government for developing a clear plan to achieve victory in the Gaza Strip. However, he postponed his planned press conference on Saturday.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli chief of staff and observer in the War Cabinet, also announced his resignation on the same day.
Ongoing Genocide
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 37,431 Palestinians have been killed, and 85,653 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
(PC, Anadolu)
