Bibi Bloc Secures 61 Seats in New Poll

By Staff, Agencies

A poll by Panels Politics shows the bloc led by the “Israeli” entity’s right-wing Likud party receiving 61 seats in the country's latest election cycle, allowing former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to establish a government.

This is the first time the polls have shown the Likud-led bloc being able to form a coalition without the help of the right-wing Yamina party, now led by Ayelet Shaked. Previous polls have also shown deadlocks, with no party being able to form a coalition.

Yamina, in the poll, would not cross the threshold in the November 1 election, receiving only 2.6 percent of the vote. The current threshold to enter the Knesset is 3.25 percent. Other polls, including Kantar Group’s latest poll, also show Yamina not crossing the threshold.

Meretz, the entity’s left-wing party, currently led by Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, doesn't cross the threshold as well, according to Panels Politics, with a mere 2.1 percent of the vote. Various polls show Meretz either not making the threshold or taking four seats in the Knesset.

According to Panels Politics, Likud would win 36 seats, the Religious Zionist party with 10, Shas with eight and United Torah Judaism with 7.

Alternatively, Prime Minister Yair Lapid's centrist Yesh Atid party would receive 23 seats of the 120-seat Knesset. Blue and White would receive nine, Labor six, New Hope and Yisrael Beitenu five, and the Ra'am party would net four seats.

Panels Politics' previous poll on June 30 gave Lapid's party only 22 seats, possibly indicating that serving as the country's premier is helping win favor.