A new Israeli election poll shows troubling numbers for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, with a record gap emerging on the question of his suitability to continue serving as prime minister just 60 days before Israelis head to the polls.

According to the Channel 12 poll, 59% of respondents said they do not want Netanyahu to continue serving as prime minister following the upcoming election, while only approximately one-third want him to remain in office.

The numbers are even more dramatic when respondents were asked about suitability for the premiership, with Netanyahu trailing by 27 percentage points — the largest gap recorded in the poll on that question.

The survey also paints a difficult picture for Netanyahu when voters are divided into political blocs.

Approximately 50% of respondents said they intend to vote for parties belonging to the anti-Netanyahu bloc, compared to just 31% who said they plan to support parties aligned with Netanyahu.

The poll, conducted by Manu Geva’s Midgam Institute together with iPanel, is the first conducted since former IDF Maj. Gen. Ofer Winter launched his new political party, dramatically shaking up the right-wing political map.

Winter’s new party receives 4% of the vote in the survey, which would translate into approximately six Knesset seats.

Meanwhile, the so-called “third bloc,” consisting of parties headed by Chili Tropper, Gilad Erdan and Benny Gantz, receives a combined 5% but nevertheless fails to cross the electoral threshold. ([bhol.co.il][1])

The survey also asked Israelis whom they would prefer to serve as the country’s next National Security Minister, amid plans for cooperation between former senior police official Yoav Segalovitz and Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas.

On that question, current National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir maintains the advantage, with 29% preferring him for the position compared to 21% who favor Segalovitz — an eight-point lead for Ben Gvir.

The latest numbers come as Israel’s political parties enter the final two months of an increasingly volatile election campaign, with new parties and alliances threatening to dramatically reshape both the right-wing and anti-Netanyahu blocs.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)