By Staff, Agencies

With six weeks remaining until the "Israeli" entity's general election in March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained his lead as preferred contender for the premiership role, an i24NEWS/“Israel” Hayom survey aired on Thursday showed.

The “Israeli” entity’s longest-serving premier received a 32 percent approval rate from respondents as the “best suited” candidate to be prime minister – despite his recent appearance in court for his ongoing corruption trial.

Coming in second place, and treading far behind, was Opposition Leader and chairman of Yesh Atid Yair Lapid with 14 percent.

Following closely in third and fourth places were former Likud member and Netanyahu rival Gideon Sa’ar, with 13 percent, and leader of right-wing Yamina party Naftali Bennett, with 11 percent, respectively.

Only four percent of respondents showed their trust in War Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz – whose political stock has collapsed in recent months according to polls.

As for Netanyahu’s trial, the survey showed it had little influence on respondents.

A clear majority of 63 percent said the court hearing did not influence their voting pattern “at all,” while seven percent said it influenced them in favor of the premier versus 17 percent who said it tipped their opinion “against Netanyahu.”