Israeli Opposition Gains Majority in New Poll Over Netanyahu Coalition

A recent opinion poll conducted by the Lazar Research Institute with the Israeli newspaper Maariv surveyed about 500 respondents, with a margin of error of roughly 4 percentage points. The poll shows that if elections were held today the opposition would secure 61 seats in the 120‑member Knesset, compared with 49 seats for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing bloc. Arab parties are projected to win 10 seats. The Yashar party, led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, is projected at 21 seats, tying with Netanyahu’s Likud party, which has lost several seats in recent surveys. The centrist Together party of former premier Naftali Bennett is also losing ground, while the far‑right Religious Zionism party of minister Bezalel Smotrich just clears the electoral threshold with four seats.

The poll was released shortly after a U.S.–Iran 14‑point cease‑fire agreement that calls for an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Israeli hard‑line ministers have opposed linking the agreement to a halt of Israeli operations in southern Lebanon, underscoring domestic political tensions.

The poll’s findings highlight a weakening position for Netanyahu’s coalition and a potential shift in Israel’s parliamentary balance ahead of any forthcoming election.