Likud moves ahead of Blue and White in the polls a week before Israel election

The Likud party moved narrowly ahead of the Blue and White opposition list in the polls for the first time, reported Haaretz, a week before Israel’s third election in a year.

According to two polls published yesterday by Channel 12 and Kan public broadcaster, neither party will be able to secure a majority to form a coalition government, promising yet more deadlock.

The Channel 12 poll predicted 34 seats for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, with the Benny Gantz-led Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) expected to win 33 seats.

Last week, a poll from the same channel predicted Gantz would win 35 seats and Netanyahu 33.

The poll by Kan, meanwhile, gives 35 seats to Likud and 34 seats to Blue and White.

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In both polls, the Joint List comes in third place, winning 14 (Kan) and 13 (Channel 12) seats respectively. The polls were also agreed on the fourth largest party, with the Labor-Gesher-Meretz alliance projected to win ten seats according to Channel 12 and nine seats according to Kan.

Meanwhile, ultra-Orthodox parties were set for a strong showing, with Shas predicted to win eight seats in both polls, and United Torah Judaism securing seven according to Kan and eight according to Channel 12.

The Avigdor Lieberman-headed Yisrael Beiteinu is predicted to win seven seats according to Kan and eight seats according to Channel 12.

Finally, right-wing list Yamina, headed by Defence Minister Naftali Bennett, is set to win seven (Channel 12) or six (Kan) seats.

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