Netanyahu's coalition stalls as opposition gains ground: Poll

JERUSALEM

A recent opinion poll conducted in Israel showed a halt in the rise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition while the opposition's seats in the Knesset (parliament) have increased.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv, which published the poll results on Friday, noted that the coalition's upward trend ceased this week following the escalation of hostilities against Hezbollah since Sept. 23.

If elections were held today, the opposition would secure 58 seats, compared to 52 for Netanyahu's coalition and 10 for Arab parties.

According to the poll, the Likud party, led by Netanyahu, would receive 24 seats, while the National Unity party, led by Benny Gantz, would garner 20.

The opposition party Yesh Atid, led by Yair Lapid, would secure 14 seats, the same number as the opposing Israel Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman.

To form a government, a party must obtain the support of at least 61 members out of the 120 total Knesset seats.

However, early elections do not appear imminent, as Netanyahu has expressed a reluctance to hold elections amid the ongoing war.

The poll, conducted by the Lazar Institute, sampled a random group of 500 Israelis.

It follows a recent surge in Netanyahu's popularity and that of the Likud party, attributed to Israel's military actions against Hezbollah.

A prior poll published by the same newspaper last week indicated that the conflict with Lebanon had positively impacted the Likud party's standing, increasing its Knesset representation over the opposition National Unity party if elections were held.

Israel has mounted massive airstrikes across Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing at least 1,351 people, injuring over 3,800 others, and displacing more than 1.2 million people.

The aerial campaign is an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of its offensive on the Gaza Strip, in which Israel has killed over 42,000 people, most of them women and children, since a Hamas attack last year.

Despite international warnings that the Mideast was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, it expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 by launching a ground incursion into southern Lebanon.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara