The poll found that if an election were held now, the parties currently in Netanyahu’s coalition would win 67 seats.
By GIL HOFFMANUpdated: AUGUST 22, 2018 08:43PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu takes part in a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Altalena Affair, in Tel Aviv on May 30th, 2018.(photo credit: REUTERS/HEIDI LEVINE)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party would rise from 30 seats to 33 and Netanyahu would be able to build a homogenous right-wing coalition of more than 70 MKs, according to a Panels Research poll taken for Walla News broadcast Tuesday.The poll found that if an election were held now, the parties currently in Netanyahu’s coalition would win 67 seats: Likud 33, Bayit Yehudi 11, United Torah Judaism seven, Yisrael Beytenu six, Kulanu six, and Shas four. Together with a new party being formed by MK Orly Levy-Abecasis, which the poll predicted would win five seats, Netanyahu could build a wide government without Center-Left parties.According to the poll, Yesh Atid would win 20 seats, the Zionist Union 12, Joint List 11, and Meretz five. The poll of 597 respondents was taken Sunday and Monday and had a margin of error of 4.4%.Due to polls like this, the Zionist Union has increased its efforts to woo former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. Zionist Union MK Shely Yacimovich, who is close to party leader Avi Gabbay, said he would reserve the second slot on the list for Gantz.Gabbay appeared to hint at Gantz when he told Army Radio that “there are people on the sidelines waiting to join.” Radio host Lior Schleien, who is the life partner of Zionist Union MK Merav Michaeli, then said he was aware of who Gabbay was referring to and that it was true, but he could not reveal more than that.Asked whether there was any possibility that Gantz could lead the Zionist Union list, Gabbay said “Labor members chose me, not someone else.”Maariv’s Ben Caspit reported that Gantz is keeping his options open and has met recently with Levy-Abecasis.Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said Monday that in the next government, his Kulanu party would demand the Agriculture portfolio. Standing beside Moshavim Movement director-general Meir Tzur, who joined Kulanu, Kahlon said more had to be done to help the agricultural sector.Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi) returned fire on Wednesday, saying Kahlon had not done enough to help farmers.“There are a lot of things that can be done to help agriculture in Israel and while he has done some of the things, there is too much he has not done,” Ariel said.
