Netanyahu Coalition Struggles: New Poll Shows Challenges

A new election poll published Wednesday on Walla marks the first survey released since the finalization of party lists competing for seats in Israel's 26th Knesset.

According to the results, the "Yashar" party led by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot emerges as the largest faction with 25 seats, followed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud with 21 mandates. Naftali Bennett's "Yachad" (Together) party captures 14 seats, while Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu and Yair Golan's Democrats each receive 9 mandates.

Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), United Torah Judaism under new chairman Yaakov Asher, Shas led by Aryeh Deri, and the Joint List (Hadash-Ta'al and Balad) each secure 7 seats in the projection.

The united list of Religious Zionism and Zehut, headed by Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin, along with Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party, each receive 5 mandates. Ofer Winter's "Amcha Yisrael" party crosses the electoral threshold with 4 seats. In contrast, the "Reservists and Economic" list led by Yoaz Hendel and Professor Yaron Zelekha fails to pass the minimum threshold, garnering only 2.8% support.

Netanyahu's potential coalition, including Winter's party, stands at 51 seats. The Zionist opposition bloc reaches 57 mandates, with Arab parties holding 12 seats.

The findings represent welcome news for Winter, whose party has been the subject of repeated warnings from Netanyahu and senior Likud officials in recent days that he would not cross the threshold and thereby endanger the right-wing bloc.

The question now is whether Netanyahu will embrace Winter out of concern for losing the right-wing bloc, or continue pressuring him to withdraw from the race.