Poll: Eisenkot overtakes Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud for first time
For the first time this election season, former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party has overtaken Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud in a major poll. A Channel 13 survey published Wednesday evening projects Yashar winning 23 Knesset seats to Likud's 22 if a general election were held today, the first time Eisenkot has exceeded Netanyahu's party in election-season polling. The result cements Eisenkot as Benjamin Netanyahu's chief rival ahead of expected October elections, even as coalition math remains unsettled.
Key Takeaways
- Channel 13's poll gives Yashar 23 seats and Likud 22—the first time Eisenkot's party has exceeded Netanyahu's in election-season polling.
- A Channel 12 poll found 60% of Israelis do not consider Benjamin Netanyahu trustworthy, while 54% view Eisenkot as trustworthy.
- Eisenkot also leads Netanyahu on suitability for the premiership, with 46% favoring him over 36% for Netanyahu in the Channel 13 survey.
- Jewish opposition parties remain about three seats short of the 61 needed to form a government without Arab-party support.
- Likud has shifted campaign focus from Naftali Bennett to Eisenkot, with the ex-general saying, "They're scared, I see their fear."
Why does Eisenkot's poll lead matter now?
Israel faces a compressed election timeline. Under Israeli law, elections must be held by October 27, and coalition parties have agreed to dissolve the Knesset on July 17 with voting expected between October 16 and October 20. Those dates still require formal parliamentary approval.
Until recently, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was widely seen as Netanyahu's top challenger. Recent surveys tell a different story. A Monday Channel 12 poll showed Yashar and Likud neck and neck at 23 seats each. By Wednesday, Channel 13 put Eisenkot's party ahead for the first time since Yashar was founded in September 2025.
The Haaretz report on the Channel 13 poll notes that Likud campaign officials have redirected attacks from Bennett toward Eisenkot. Education Minister Yoav Kisch has even suggested Likud could join a government led by Eisenkot after the vote.
How trustworthy do Israelis find Benjamin Netanyahu?
Head-to-head party numbers tell only part of the story. A separate Channel 12 poll reported by The Times of Israel found that 60% of Israelis do not consider Benjamin Netanyahu trustworthy, compared with 38% who do.
By contrast, 54% of respondents see Eisenkot as trustworthy, while 29% do not. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett fared worse on trust, with 53% calling him untrustworthy and 41% saying they trust him.
The same survey found that nearly two-thirds of Israelis say the Netanyahu coalition's recent legislative blitz—including bills on Haredi military conscription—will influence their vote. The Wall Street Journal reported that Eisenkot's military credentials and personal loss during the Gaza war have resonated deeply with voters weary of prolonged conflict.
Can the opposition actually form a government?
Despite Eisenkot's surge, the broader bloc math has changed little. Channel 13's poll projects the opposition winning 69 seats against 51 for the coalition. However, Jewish opposition parties would still need support from Arab parties to reach the 61-seat majority required to govern.
Several smaller parties remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold. The new party led by Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper polled at just 2.2% in the Channel 13 survey, meaning it would not enter the Knesset under current numbers.
Netanyahu remains a seasoned campaigner with a deep political apparatus. Eisenkot has never run a national race on his own. With months still to go, polling gaps this narrow can shift quickly. For more on how major political shifts shape broadcast coverage, see our Streaming & TV Alerts section.