Poll: Majority of Israelis do not believe Netanyahu innocent in criminal probes
Only 28% said that they do believe Netanyahu, while 18% said they did not know.
By JEREMY SHARONUpdated: JANUARY 18, 2017 03:14Benjamin Netanyahu(photo credit: REUTERS)
A majority of the Israeli public does not believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that he has not committed any crimes in relation to the two police investigations currently being conducted into his affairs, according to findings of a Channel 2 poll.The survey, conducted by Mina Tzemach and the Midgam Research Institute, found that 54% of the public say they do not believe Netanyahu’s oft-repeated statement that nothing will come of the investigations.Only 28% said that they do believe Netanyahu, while 18% said they did not know.A plurality, although not yet a majority, believe he should resign in light of theinvestigations, with 44% of respondents saying he should vacate his post, 43% saying he does not need to resign at this stage and 13% saying they did not know.Asked who would be the best replacement for Netanyahu as prime minister, 17% of the public said Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid would be the best premier, followed by Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett with 10%; former Likud minister Gideon Sa’ar also with 10%; Isaac Herzog of Zionist Union with 6%; former Likud defense minister Moshe Ya’alon also with 6%; Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan of the Likud with 5%; and Transportation Minister and senior Likud figure Israel Katz with 3%.The poll also surveyed voting attitudes should new elections take place tomorrow. According to the results, Yesh Atid, led by Yair Lapid, would take 26 seats, more than doubling its current tally of mandates, the Likud would take 24, down from the 30 seats its holds at present, the Joint List would take 13 seats, Bayit Yehudi 12 and Zionist Union 11.Kulanu, Yisrael Beytenu, Shas and United Torah Judaism were all polled at 7 seats each, and Meretz at 6.