Amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the confrontation with Iran, growing fears of Israel becoming re-entangled in the “Lebanese mud,” and rising violence inside Israeli society, both the Likud and Otzma Yehudit parties lost a mandate this week in a new Maariv poll.

The survey also found that a majority of Israelis — 55% — want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step aside and not run in the next election. Just 38% want him to continue leading Likud, while 7% remain undecided.

According to the poll conducted by Lazar Research for Maariv, the coalition bloc has weakened to 49 seats, while the Zionist opposition bloc has climbed to 61 mandates — enough for a governing majority.

Despite losses for Likud and Otzma Yehudit, the coalition’s decline was partially offset by Shas gaining one seat.

Under the poll’s current breakdown: • Bennett’s “Beyachad” party receives 26 seats
• Likud drops to 25
• Gadi Eisenkot’s “Yashar” receives 16
• The Democrats receive 10
• Otzma Yehudit falls to 8
• Yisrael Beiteinu stands at 9
• Shas also receives 9
• United Torah Judaism receives 7
• Hadash-Ta’al receives 5
• Ra’am receives 5

The opposition bloc led by Eisenkot strengthened by one additional mandate this week, bringing the anti-Netanyahu camp to 61 seats, while the Arab parties remain stable with a combined 10 mandates.

The poll also examined a possible new party led jointly by Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper. That alliance barely crosses the electoral threshold with 4 mandates.

In that scenario, the opposition bloc falls from 61 seats to 58, while the coalition weakens slightly further to 48 seats.

Maariv also tested a major united slate combining Bennett’s “Beyachad,” Eisenkot’s “Yashar,” and Yisrael Beiteinu. That merged alliance would receive a massive 49 mandates — two more than in the previous poll.

However, in that scenario, the Democrats would fall from 14 seats in the previous survey to 11 seats.

Even with the massive alliance, the opposition bloc would stand at 60 seats — just short of the 61 needed for a majority — while Netanyahu’s coalition would rise slightly to 50 seats.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)