'Post' poll: Likud, Yisrael Beytenu rise after crisis
The poll found that two thirds of Israelis are upset by the decision to disperse the Knesset a month after it was sworn in and hold another election.
By GIL HOFFMANAvigdor Lieberman, former Israeli Defence Minister and head of Yisrael Beytenu party speaks during a news conference in Tel Aviv, Israel May 30, 2019(photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
The people of Israel blame both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman for the repeat election that will take place on September 17, but they will reward both their parties with more seats, a Panels Research poll taken on Thursday for The Jerusalem Post and its Hebrew sister newspaper Maariv found.The poll found that two-thirds of Israelis are upset by the decision to disperse the Knesset just a month after it was sworn in. When asked who is to blame for the do-over, 46% said Liberman, 35% Netanyahu, 12% said United Torah Judaism and Shas, and 7% said they did not know.If the election was held now, Yisrael Beytenu would increase from its current five seats to nine, the poll found, which would make it the third largest party after Likud and Blue and White. The Likud would gain two seats from 35 to 37 – but if, as expected, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked runs with the party, it would win 41 seats. Blue and White would fall from 35 seats to 33. UTJ would win eight seats, Shas seven and the Union of Right-Wing Parties and Meretz six each. Hadash-Ta’al and the New Right under Naftali Bennett and Shaked would each win five, and the Balad-United Arab list four. Labor and Zehut would not cross the threshold.Among Center-Right voters, 57% said Liberman’s behavior decreased their chances of voting for his party, while 15% said it raised the chances and 28% said it made no impact.Asked whether the news that Netanyahu tried to advance a bill granting him immunity would impact their votes, 62% of Center-Right voters said no, 20% said it decreased the chances, and 18% said it raised them. Among Center-Left voters, 69% said it decreased the likelihood of them voting for Likud, 27% said it had no impact and 2% said it raised it.On the issue of whether Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit should freeze the legal process against Netanyahu during the election, 91% of Center-Left and 34% of Center-Right voters said no, while 7% of Center-Left and 45% of Center-Right voters said yes. The rest said they did not know.Some 40% of respondents said they wanted Netanyahu to remain prime minister after the election, 48% said they preferred someone else and 12% did not know.
