POLL SHIFT: Eisenkot's Yashar Leads Likud As Bennett Tops Netanyahu In PM Matchup

A Channel 12 poll released Monday found Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party leading in projected Knesset seats with 24, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud at 22. Naftali Bennett's Beyachad secured 15 seats, Yair Golan's Democrats 11, Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu 10, and Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit 8. United Torah Judaism, headed by Yitzhak Goldknopf, held at 8 seats, Shas at 7, and Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism at 5. Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am each received 5 seats. Several parties fell below the 3.25% electoral threshold: the Zionist Home of the Reservists at 2.7%, Balad at 1.6%, Gilad Erdan's right-wing party at 1.3%, and Benny Gantz's Blue and White at 0.8%.

The anti-Netanyahu bloc totaled 70 projected seats, comprising 60 for Zionist opposition parties and 10 for Arab parties, while current coalition parties received 50 seats.

On leadership preference, Eisenkot led Netanyahu 40% to 35%, with 19% selecting neither and 7% unsure. Bennett moved ahead of Netanyahu for the first time in several months, leading 37% to 35%. Netanyahu led Liberman 38% to 24%.

The survey found 63% of respondents believed U.S. President Donald Trump currently determines Israel's security policy, compared with 25% crediting Netanyahu. When asked whom they most trusted to manage relations with Trump, 39% chose Netanyahu, 17% Eisenkot, 16% Bennett, and 7% Liberman.

On Gaza operations, 64% said Israel should continue military action against Hamas despite U.S. Pressure to end the war, while 25% disagreed. Regarding Iran, 36% supported Israel attacking alone amid Trump's preparations to announce an end to the Iran conflict, 44% opposed such action, and 20% were unsure.