Netanyahu, opposition blocs tied as 55% back unity government if election inconclusive: Poll

An Israeli opinion poll published on Friday showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition tied, with neither reaching the majority needed to form a government, while 55% of respondents favored a unity government if the upcoming election produces no decisive result.

The Maariv poll, published 11 days before the Oct. 27 general election, showed that if voting were held today, both Netanyahu's bloc and the Jewish opposition would win 51 seats each in the 120-member Knesset.

Arab lawmakers, meanwhile, were projected to win 14 seats, while the Reservists Party would secure four, without indicating which bloc it would support.

A government requires the backing of at least 61 lawmakers. Otherwise, Israel could face another election.

Both Netanyahu's camp and the main Jewish opposition parties reject relying on Arab parties to form a government.

According to the poll, Netanyahu's bloc would be divided among Likud with 18 seats, Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power eight, the religious United Torah Judaism party eight, Shas seven, Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism six and Ofer Winter's Amcha Yisrael four.

The Jewish opposition would include Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party with 21 seats, Naftali Bennett's Together 13, Yair Golan's Democrats nine and Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu eight.

Among Arab parties, the Joint List led by Yousef Jabareen was projected to win eight seats, while Mansour Abbas' United Arab List, or Ra'am, would receive six.

The Reservists Party, headed by Yoaz Hendel, is projected to win four seats, with the poll not determining which camp it would support.

On the preferred candidate for prime minister, Eisenkot, a former Israeli army chief of staff, remained ahead of Netanyahu with 48% support compared with 41% for the incumbent.

Israelis do not directly elect their prime minister. The post goes to the politician able to form a coalition backed by at least 61 lawmakers.

If the political deadlock continues, Israel could face another election unless a unity government is formed.

The poll found that 55% of Israelis prefer a national unity government over another election if the Oct. 27 vote fails to produce a clear outcome.

Another 27% said they favor holding a new election, while 18% were undecided.

The results showed differences between the two camps.

Among opposition voters, 54% said they support a unity government provided it is headed by a leader from their bloc.

Among coalition voters, 36% backed a unity government led by Netanyahu, while 32% preferred another election if no clear result emerged.

Maariv said the poll was conducted by the private Lazar Research Institute among a random sample of 700 Israelis, with a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.