The Lead
A new political poll broadcast Thursday evening by Amit Segal on N12 shows Gadi Eisenkot's party surging past Naftali Bennett's and coming within a single seat of the Likud. The results, published at 21:07 Jerusalem time, signal a rapid shift in the opposition landscape as the former IDF chief of staff overtakes the former prime minister after weeks of rising support.
The latest survey data from N12 reveals a significant realignment within the Israeli political center-left and opposition blocs. According to the poll results shared by commentator Amit Segal, Gadi Eisenkot's party—identified in reports as 'Yashar!'—has surpassed Naftali Bennett's 'Beyachad' party in projected Knesset seats. This marks the first time in N12 polling that Eisenkot has held a clear lead over Bennett, placing him in a position to challenge the Likud for the status of the largest party in the Knesset.
Opposition Realignment
This development follows a trend observed across multiple media outlets in recent days. Prior coverage by The Zioneer has tracked Eisenkot's steady climb; just one week ago, N12 data showed the two leaders tied at 20 seats each. The new figures suggest that Eisenkot's momentum is drawing support away from other opposition factions, consolidating a 'center-state' alternative to the current government. While Bennett had previously led the opposition in polling, the surge for the former IDF chief suggests a shift in voter preference toward Eisenkot's leadership.
Analysis and Outlook
The narrow gap between Eisenkot and the Likud—now reported at just one seat—indicates that the political map remains highly fluid. Analysts note that while these figures represent a snapshot of current sentiment, they underscore the volatility within the anti-Netanyahu bloc. The primary question for the coming weeks is whether Eisenkot can maintain this trajectory and if Bennett's decline will stabilize or continue. For now, the 'Developing' nature of this realignment suggests that the competition for leadership of the opposition is far from settled, even as Eisenkot emerges as the primary challenger to the Likud's dominance.
2 developments
- The Zioneer Intelligence Desk
- Al-Mayadeen: Iran delegation suspends travel to nuclear talks over Israeli strikes in Lebanon
- Six suspects spotted crossing Lebanon border fence near Majdal Shams, IDF forces in pursuit
- Lebanon's parliament speaker tells Trump: Hezbollah committed to ceasefire if Israel complies fully
- Kayhan editor calls on Iran to seize US assets in Strait of Hormuz as compensation
