A new Maariv poll shows the Likud Party gaining strength following Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington and meeting with President Donald Trump, but the boost has not translated into a stronger coalition, which remains well short of a governing majority.

According to the survey, Likud rose by two seats to 22 mandates, while the coalition bloc as a whole remains unchanged at 49 seats.

The opposition bloc also falls short of a majority on its own, holding 57 seats. However, the newly formed Zionist Home Party, led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel, clears the electoral threshold with four seats, giving the anti-Netanyahu bloc a potential path to a 61-seat majority.

Among the Zionist opposition parties, the biggest losses this week were recorded by Beyachad and the Democrats, each dropping two seats. Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, remains the largest party in the Knesset with 23 projected seats, while the Arab parties hold steady at a combined 10 seats.

Asked how they would vote if elections were held today, respondents produced the following results:

• Yashar – 23 seats
• Likud – 22
• Beyachad – 15
• Yisrael Beiteinu – 10
• The Democrats – 9
• United Torah Judaism – 8
• Otzma Yehudit – 7
• Shas – 7
• Hadash-Ta’al – 5
• Ra’am – 5
• Religious Zionism – 5
• Zionist Home – 4

Balad, with 1.8% support, and Blue and White, with 1.2%, would fail to cross the electoral threshold.

The poll also examined a scenario in which a new political party is formed by Benny Gantz, Ayelet Shaked, Yuli Edelstein, and Dedi Simchi. Under that scenario, the new party would receive 3.8% of the vote, enough for four Knesset seats.

Its entry into the race would push the Zionist Home Party of Tropper and Hendel below the electoral threshold, where it would receive only 2.4% support.

In that scenario, the coalition bloc would gain one seat, rising to 50 mandates, while the Zionist opposition would fall to 56 seats. The Arab parties would remain unchanged with 10 seats.

The survey also asked opposition voters who they believe should lead the center-left bloc in the next election. Among those respondents, 45% chose Gadi Eisenkot, 25% selected Naftali Bennett, 11% preferred Avigdor Lieberman, 10% backed Yair Golan, and 9% said they were undecided.

In head-to-head polling for prime minister, Bennett leads Netanyahu by five percentage points, 44% to 39%, widening his advantage by one point from the previous survey.

Eisenkot performs even better, leading Netanyahu by 48% to 38%—the largest margin recorded since the pollster began comparing the two.

Netanyahu fares better against Avigdor Lieberman, leading that matchup by 43% to 39%.

{Matzav.com}